Handle With Care
by writergrrrl
Summary: Evelyn McCallister was living a quiet life as a personal assistant until Stephanie McMahon called. Jonathon Good was part of the Shield, the most dominant stable in the WWE, and about to turn face. Two slightly broken individuals, though more whole than either believes, living in a world on interesting characters. How will they grow and learn together? Dean/OC with others.
1. Chapter 1

**Yeah, yeah, I have lots of stories that need to be finished. Blame Evie and Jon for not leaving me alone! This will be more of a slow burn with a bit more complicated OC. Hope you like!**

"Hello?" Evelyn poured herself the last cup of coffee from her carafe as she answered her flashing cell phone late on a cold January afternoon.

"Evelyn?" The voice on the phone was pleasant and familiar, since she had been Evie's employer over a period of three months the previous summer. "Stephanie McMahon."

"Yes. Hello, Stephanie." Adding cream and sugar to the brew as she spoke, Evelyn leaned against the counter. "How are you?"

"Oh, I've been very well. Thank you. That being said, I _do_ have a job for you, if you're open."

Evelyn smiled to herself, happy that she left enough of an impression on the demanding "Vincess" to earn a call offering another employment opportunity. "I've just finished up another temp job, so I have nothing but time. What can I do for you?"

"Have you been watching?"

She nodded, though the other woman couldn't see her. "Everything I can, why?"

"Well, then you've seen the Shield."

Oh, had she ever! Those three were sex on legs, and three times as delicious. "Of course!"

"Well, I'm in need of someone with exceptional organizational skills, the patience of a saint, and who takes no shit."

Evie smirked. "Well, you're talkin' to her."

"That's just what I wanted to hear. We want you to be on a more permanent basis. The Shield will be having a lot more public appearances and interviews to do in the coming months, and the three of them are proving to be . . . difficult."

Evelyn was instantly wary. "'Difficult', how? Because I'm not looking to babysit drunks or active addicts."

"Oh, no! Nothing like that!" Stephanie was quick to explain. "There hasn't been a wellness violation from any of them, though they all like a drink now and then. The three of them just have issues with being on time and Dean, or Jon, would forget his own head if it weren't attached."

Evelyn chuckled. "Okay. _That_ I can handle."

"We'll be in Vegas tomorrow filming Raw, and I would like you to come in and meet them beforehand."

Agreeing, Evelyn stayed on the line long enough to make plans to meet the older woman and the men for lunch before making the necessary phone calls. She let her adopted sister and brother know that she would once again be traveling with the WWE. Then, she contacted her closest neighbor to let them know she would be out of town for the next few days.

Living in the mountains outside of Las Vegas, they took care of each other and helped where they could. The mother of the family would come over to gather the mail while the teenage boys would arrive to clear any snow from the driveway so that she would be able to get in without any problems. It was something they had done since she bought the two bedroom cabin on the five acre lot two years ago. In exchange, Evie got tickets to WWE house shows for the kids and allowed the family to hunt on her property from time to time.

Evelyn spent the rest of the day planning out what she would need during the trip and making meticulous lists. She had one for her toiletries, makeup, and hair essentials. There was a second denoting her clothing and shoes. A third contained nothing but electronics and the assorted necessary chargers.

Once those lists were completed, she plugged in everything that would need a charge for the next day and began to pack everything else. Shoes and a pair of slipper boots were placed in individual travel bags and then arranged in the bottom of her suitcase. Shirts and blouses were neatly packed on top of her slacks and jeans, her skirts taking up the entire right side. Socks and underclothes were placed in protective pouches and slipped between the two stacks. Her needed medications and vitamins were carefully placed in airline approved containers so she wouldn't have trouble with security. Packing had always been one of her favorite things to do, because she found it so relaxing.

The next morning dawned in shades of pink and purple, the light reflecting off the fresh-fallen snow like innumerable diamonds. Evelyn watched the sun come up from the swing on her covered front porch, her heavy nightgown and socks covered by a knitted afghan, her third cup of coffee held in both hands. Nights had always been the most difficult part of her day, but watching the sunrise always made up for the inability to sleep.

Standing, she went inside to get ready for her morning run before facing the new challenge ahead.

O:O:O:O:O:

Jon, Joe, and Colby strode past the booing fans waiting on the other side of the parking lot fence a little before noon, smirking or waving sarcastically. Being the most dominant heel stable in the WWE, the trio had grown used to the reactions from the fans that gathered outside the arenas. There was talk of turning them face soon, and all three wondered how that would turn out.

"Gentlemen!" Paul Levesque, their boss and COO of the WWE, greeted them as they stepped past security and through the back door of the arena. His voice held a slight chuckle as he smiled. "Glad you could make it so early."

Colby nodded and shook his boss's hand first. "We just came here after the gym."

Jon took his turn saying hello to Paul and then faded into the background. It was easier to pick out the nuances of conversations if he wasn't being forced to maintain eye contact. He liked Paul, but the older man's good intentions were subject to Vince McMahon's whims and shifting tempers. Jon had made a habit of watching people from a very young age, learning early that knowing how people normally acted would tell you when they were lying.

Leading them into the temporary office, Paul waited as they greeted Stephanie before continuing. "We have a tentative timeline for your face turn."

"Really?" Jon sank into one of the four chairs on their side of the wide desks. "This soon?"

"Not for another two months or so. We want to have you in an undercard match, as faces, at Wrestlemania." Paul chuckled at their stunned expressions. "And as such, there will be more house shows, interviews, personal appearances, and televised matches or promos."

Jon sniffed heavily and nodded before making eye contact with Joe. More live events, interviews, and all of that meant more traveling. There would be more nights driving to make towns, more bumps and bruises, and greater exhaustion levels. Shit was about to get real, and he hoped the other man was ready.

"Because of this," Stephanie smiled. "We have decided to hire someone to help out with your increasingly complicated work lives."

Paul's face morphed into a bemused, yet indulgent, smile. "We have?"

"Well, okay, _I_ have." Stephanie chuckled just as there was a knock on the door. "This must be her now. Come in!"

The door opened to reveal one of the most beautiful women Jon had ever seen. And, considering the women he worked with and those who had thrown themselves at him in the past, that was saying a great deal. Her hair was a glowing blond, a thick braid on either side of her head leading to a bun at the base of her skull. When she greeted everyone in the room, Jon was treated to the full effect of her dramatic, olive green eyes. She wore a skirt with a high waist and a flared bottom, some sort of short jacket, and brown heeled boots decorated with gears and what looked like watch hands.

"Evie!" Paul nearly roared, his face splitting into a wide smile. "Steph just informed us she'd hired an assistant for these guys. I was almost upset that she hadn't talked with me about it!"

Evie returned his hug before she and Stephanie exchanged a simple embrace and an affectionate kiss on the cheek. "Really, Paul? When Stephanie calls, people come running."

"Oh, I know. I'm just surprised that you were available!" Turning to the men, Paul explained. "Evelyn here helped Steph out when Margo had a family obligation a few months ago."

Evie shrugged. "I wasn't free until two days ago. I was working as a PA for a woman in New York. Turns out, she gave her creepy teenage son a copy of the key to my room in her house. Woke up to him standing by my bed staring at me."

"Oh, that is disgusting!" Steph's words were emphasized by the four men nodding their agreement. "Did you press charges?"

"There weren't any I could press. I just demanded my pay and immediate release, which was granted without argument. I returned home, and received your call the next afternoon." Turning to the three sitting men, Evie smiled kindly. "And I'm glad I was free. Working with Stephanie for a few months was just so much fun, though I have a feeling that the three of you might be less trouble than she was."

"Hey!" Stephanie's mock outrage made everyone smile. "I wasn't _that_ bad!"

Evie smirked. "Yeah, keep telling yourself that."

After introductions were made, Evie asked her new bosses if they had eaten lunch.

"Nah, hun." Colby shook his head and glanced at Jon and Joe. "We came here right after the gym."

Evie quickly noticed that, while all three men seemed open and happy to have some help, Colby was the most talkative of the group. Joe was very laid back and seemed prone to just going with the flow of what was around him. Jon, with his stunning blue eyes, studied her shrewdly as if holding off on making any decisions until he got to know her better. She couldn't fault him in thinking and feeling that way, but hoped he wouldn't cause a problem moving forward.

"Well, have any of you ever eaten at the 24 Seven Café at the Palms?" When they all shook their heads, she smiled. "It's amazing, and we'd be able to go over what it is we expect from each other and how I can help you in the coming months."

Turning to a grinning Stephanie, Evie raised an eyebrow. "And you're absolutely sure that I won't have to do general PA stuff while at arenas?"

"Absolutely not. If it doesn't involve the Shield, it doesn't involve you."

Nodding, Evie smiled and turned to the men once again. "Come on! I'll drive."

The trip to the Palms Casino was short, though traffic did attempt to add quite a bit to the wait. The men had all smirked at each other at just how tiny their new assistant was walking among them. Even with her heels adding three inches to her height, the top of Evie's head barely brushed their shoulders.

Jon rode in the back seat with Colby, allowing Joe to have some legroom in the front, since his knee had been bothering him that day. Sitting behind his friend allowed Jon to watch Evelyn's face as she spoke and navigated the busy streets. Her eyes were open and expressive, and he found himself feeling more and more comfortable with the idea of her being around.

"Now, there are some things that I will absolutely not do." They had been seated quickly, and Evie spoke after sipping her milkshake. "I will not procure illegal substances or services, and do not ask me to buy alcohol for you if you're too wasted to get your own. I am your personal assistant, but that does **not** mean that I am your unquestioning slave."

Jon nodded along with the others, liking that she wasn't going to be expected to do anything and everything for them. "So, what sorts of things do you do?"

"I am here to make sure all of your travel arrangements are handled and to drive the three of you from town to town if needed. Or I can simply meet you at the hotel or arena, whichever is better for you. I'm exceedingly skilled at organization and will keep your interview and appearance schedules running smoothly. If you are trying to decide what to wear, I can help with that. Need to find a rental in any random town? I'll have one arranged ASAP.

"Basically, I'm here to streamline things so that you three can have more downtime between shows and better experiences with media outlets and fans."

Colby grinned at his stable mates, as if sharing some inside joke. "And how do you plan on doing that?"

"I will send updates and such to your tablets, laptops, and/or cells. I can email updated schedules as they change, and I am more than capable of reminding you three that late night drinks at the bar may affect any morning appearances or interviews the next day."

Joe chuckled. "Babygirl, you're going to have to go oldschool for Jon. My boy here ain't a fan of new technology, and that's if he doesn't forget it somewhere."

Nodding at them, she made a mental note to buy some electronic tags and pack her portable printer from then on. "Not a problem."

Jon nearly sighed in relief. It was no secret that he wasn't all that good with the new tech shit, and he hated when people made a big deal about it. That she wasn't daunted almost had him sighing.

Joe finished the bit of sushi in his mouth before asking another question. "So, you're with us all day, every day?"

"Ah, no." Evie shook her head with a grin. "You have families and girlfriends and all that at home, and I have zero interest in sitting around while you're doing your at home stuff. Your days off are my days off, though you can always call or text me with questions or if you need help with something. Just be aware that I might be hiking or working on something at home, and it _is_ my day off, so it may take a while for me to answer you."

Jon took his turn to ask a question, leaning back in his chair and shifting a bit uncomfortably. "And how did you get here so fast? Do you live in Vegas?"

"Outside the city, actually. Up on Mount Charleston?" Her inflection made it a question, and she smiled as he nodded in recognition. "I lucked into an affordable small house that I'm renovating up there and 5 acres of land."

"You're renovating it yourself?" Jon frowned. "No offense, darlin', but you're awful small to be lugging around heavy equipment."

"None taken. I've been small all my life." Evie grinned. "I do what I can and then bribe the neighbors to help with what I can't do on my own."

The rest of lunch went much the same way, with questions coming from all directions. Evie had been the focus of a few first day interviews like this, and so was able to remain unruffled. There would be time later, when she was alone with her thoughts, to worry or feel as if she were somehow unprepared. It was how she was able to focus so completely, and she had been doing it for years.

When the men went back to Jon's apartment, where they stayed during Vegas shows, Evie slipped into the local public library. With the Royal Rumble approaching, Evie had a bit of a time making sure the files Stephanie sent her were complete and all-inclusive before entering dates and times indicating their obligations into her online calendar. It would automatically sync with her iPad, phone, and laptop. She then color coordinated the schedule, printing out calendars for January and February as well as written itineraries meant for each week. These she wrote Jon's name on and stapled together before slipping them into a plain black folder.

Remembering that she wanted to pick up some electronic tags, she headed to the nearest store.

O:O:O:O:O:

Jon watched as Evie typed something out on her phone and chuckled at her case – Calvin and Hobbs making faces – before flicking his eyes down to his boots. He didn't want her knowing that he had been looking at her. Girls either liked of really hated when he looked at them, and he couldn't stand the thought of seeing disgust on her face if she didn't want him staring.

It didn't help that she was just about the prettiest thing he had ever seen. She had changed from her corseted green skirt and frilly shirt into a t-shirt featuring a pinup style Harley Quinn along with a long jersey knit skirt and ballet flats. Her hair was down now, waves falling to her waist like a waterfall of sunshine. The glasses with which she had replaced her contacts were black cat-eye rims.

She was breathtaking.

"Jon," her voice drew him out of his own head.

"Yeah?"

She held some little squares up and grinned. "I got something to help with leaving behind your electronics."

He scrunched his nose up in confusion. "What's that?"

"I use these little tags on my iPad and cellphone, just in case I accidently leave them behind. You put one on something that you never forget, like your wallet. The others go on your tablet and cell phone, or whatever else you need. When you get too far away from your gadgets, the tag in your wallet beeps to let you know."

Jon frowned. "It'll beep the whole time? I don't want to sound like a freakin' fire alarm here."

"Nope, just three short beeps to let you know you're leaving something behind." Evie grinned at him and shrugged. "They've saved my butt a few times. Want to give them a shot?"

"Sure, why not?"

Nodding, Evelyn attached the sensors and made sure they were all linked up before handing them back to Jon. He slipped his wallet in his pocket and went to stash his tablet and phone in their designated areas. He could hear Evie cleaning up their trash and packing her things away at the bench she had used behind him. She had pulled her change of clothes from a bag she kept in her purse, and had been in the t-shirt and skirt by the time the guys got back for the ring.

Colby and Joe soon joined them after their showers, dressed in comfortable clothes for the trip to Flagstaff. Evie had informed them that she would be making the four hour drive, and that they were welcome to ride with her if they didn't want to rent a car. After insisting that they be allowed to pay for gas, food, and coffee, the men agreed.

"Whoever needs to stretch their legs out the most should ride behind me, I think." Evie smiled her thanks as Colby held the door open for her as they left the arena. "My seat will be pulled far closer to the dash than the passenger. I've got tiny little legs."

Jon snorted at the way her voice became squeaky at the end of her statement. "Joe should take that seat. I've got shotgun."

Colby snorted with a frown. "Why do you get shotgun?!"

"Because we all know you both are just gonna pass out as soon as we get some food, and I wanna be able to look out the windshield."

Evie giggled at their argument and looked to Joe. "Do they always fight like this?"

"Nah," he smirked and shook his head as they stopped beside her black Subaru and she popped the trunk. "Sometimes, they're worse."

Making sure her bags were packed in first so the men could retrieve theirs easier, Evie shook her head and slid in behind the wheel. She adjusted mirrors and turned the radio down as the men loaded their bags and sank into their chosen seats. She was secretly pleased that they had agreed to ride with her so soon. A quick trip would let her get a sample of how future drives would go without being long enough to really bother anyone if they didn't get along.

Jon adjusted his seat and then settled in for the trip. As expected, Joe and Colby were out cold after eating their dinners, choosing vegetable wraps while Jon and Evie had burgers. This left him alone with the diminutive blonde. She was singing along quietly to the soft song playing on the radio, her fingers keeping time on the wheel as the next selection on her playlist began.

He couldn't contain his surprise when he recognized the tune, enjoying her choice in music. "You like Hank?"

"Yeah," she grinned lightly. Jon's dimples were just about the most adorable thing she had ever seen. "I'm a fan of a lot of different kinds of music, really. This just felt like good music for driving at night. Did you want something else?"

"Nah, this is good." Feeling a familiar tingling in his arms and back, he began to fidget quietly in his seat.

"You okay?"

He nodded, but continued to move restlessly.

"Having a nicotine fit?"

Slightly surprised that she recognized the signs, Jon nodded. "Yeah. Mind if I light up?"

Evie shrugged. "Depends. Are they menthols?"

"No," he shook his head again. "Marlboro reds."

"And the health nuts in back don't care?" Evelyn didn't want to make anyone angry, even if it _were_ her car.

"They're okay as long as I roll down a window."

"Go for it."

Jon lit up as Evelyn drove through the desert night, the soft sound of Hank Williams keeping them company.


	2. Can Momma Bears Be Tiny?

****Decided to go ahead and post this, as new stories take a moment to get invested with. From now on, I'll probably post on Fridays.****

Super shoutout to **Angelsdee327** for being an awesome beta and person in general! Also, thanks to **NESSAANCALIME6913** for the review!

 **Played with an injury timeline a bit at the end of this. Nothing serious, I promise.**

The house show went well, and Evelyn was back in her own home by Wednesday afternoon. She and Jon had driven back to Vegas that morning, with him being dropped off on her way past the city. They had sung along with the songs playing on her playlist, choosing to drive the less frequented roads home from Flagstaff. He had proven to be a great traveling companion, and Evie looked forward to more relaxed journeys with him.

Gavin called late Wednesday afternoon as Evie was loading more logs into her fireplace on the lower floor and thinking about lighting the parlor stove she kept upstairs, asking how the trip went and if she thought the guys would be okay to her. "I don't want my little sister drivin' around with three big men who aren't gonna be nice."

"I'll be fine, Gav." Evie smiled at his concern as she padded through her living room in the fuzzy socks she loved so much and up the stairs to the loft. The afternoon was growing quite chilly, and a steady wind buffeted the cabin relentlessly. "Colby is a bit conceited, but he's not mean about it. Joe is very respectful of all women. Jon doesn't seem like the type to open up to anyone easily, but he's fun to ride with."

"So, you and Jon have some things in common." Gavin's chuckle was warm and inviting. "You gonna make it home for momma's birthday?"

"Wouldn't miss it. We've got the Rumble a week from Sunday, and I'll fly into Louisville from Cleveland the next night since they aren't working Smackdown or the house shows. Gonna need a ride from there."

"Got it covered, bun."

Evie shook her head at the nickname, but didn't mention it as she lit a fire in the cast iron parlor stove. It would only lead to more teasing. "Have you bought her present yet?"

Her brother snorted. "You know I suck at buying gifts. I'm building her a new display case for the bookstore. She's been wanting something a little fancy for that new big window on the side."

"You know she'll just love it."

"So, what're you giving her?"

"Please! As if I'm gonna tell you?!" Evie giggled. "It's a surprise."

"Bitch."

Evie laughed loudly, loving the banter she shared with her brother. The beep of her call waiting stopped her response. Jon's name flashed at her from her screen, and she frowned softly.

"I've gotta go, hun. One of the new bosses calls."

"Yeah, yeah. Love you bunbun."

"Love you too, Gav."

Clicking over to the other line, she was surprised to hear Jon cursing quietly.

"Stupid fuckin' bullshit. Hate this piece of shit."

"Jon?" Her voice was quiet, and she hoped it would help soothe the obviously frustrated man.

He made a sound of surprise and then chuckled quietly. "Sorry, Evie. Just can't figure something out and thought I'd call you before interrupting Joe's day with his daughter."

"No problem. What can I do for you?"

"Trying to book a flight to Columbus since next week's Raw will be in Dayton, and it just isn't working." Jon sighed heavily, hating to admit defeat in something that everyone else seemed to grasp easily. Joe tolerated it better than others, which is why he always called him first. "I suck at this. I'm sorry."

"Not a problem, hun. This is _exactly_ part of why I'm here. You should always call me first from now on, okay?" Bringing up her favorite travel site, she confirmed the dates and that he wanted business class. "And I'm looking for flights into Columbus? Not Cincinnati?"

Jon frowned, not wanting to discuss his love/hate relationship with his home town. And he _certainly_ didn't want to tell her that he didn't feel in control of himself enough to be around some of his old friends right now. "Like the hotels in Columbus better."

"Okay, cool." Pretending not to notice the growl in his voice, Evie decided not to push the man too hard. It was, after all, none of her business. Instead, she plugged in the information. "Now, let's see what happens."

At first glance, a number of available flights appeared. It was only upon looking at the information that Evie realized the problem. Each one that fit their requirements would land in Columbus at times when he was needed elsewhere.

"Well, that's not good."

Jon snorted. "See why I'm pissed off yet?"

"Oh, I'm not defeated." Plugging in a few new bits of information, Evie smiled in triumph. "How about a flight that lands outside Indianapolis? We'd take off around 5:00AM, be there at about 8:30, and then I could drive us to Dayton by 10 or so. You'd have plenty of time for a gym run before check in."

"You'd be coming with me for this?"

"Well, if you don't mind. I would be in economy, so it's not like people would see us together and start talking."

Evie sipped her tea and sank back into her chair. The loft area of her cabin had been turned into the perfect library/office, and she loved the views of the mountains from her upstairs windows. She gazed out at them now, waiting for his response.

"No," Jon frowned. "You ride up with me."

Evie nodded. "Sure. No problem."

Booking the flight, Evie said goodbye to Jon before arranging to rent a large SUV. She would need it for the week after their flight to Indiana, and it was better to hire a car well in advance. They would be appearing on Raw in Dayton, and then Smackdown would be taped in Columbus. The Royal Rumble would take place in Pittsburgh the following Sunday, and then on to Cleveland for the following Raw. There were house shows to take place in between, and Evie knew they wanted to be in Pittsburgh by Sunday morning so they could rest up for the pay per view.

While she was at it, she made sure all necessary hotel arrangements were made and texted all three of her charges to make sure flights had been arranged. Colby and Joe both responded that they had already set up flights into Ohio and then home from Cleveland while Jon eventually got back to her, asking that she get him on a flight home. Giggling to herself, she made the necessary reservations.

O:O:O:O:O:

Evie knocked on Jon's door at 4AM, smiling as he appeared, a little surly and scruffy, on the other side. She silently handed him a cup of coffee – two sugars, three creams – and took his luggage in hand. He let her steer him down the hall and into the elevator, sipping the hot liquid and blinking in the harsh florescent lights, before giving himself a shake and taking the rolling bag from her with a frown.

Jon wasn't sure what he had expected, but Evelyn's quietly smiling face and lack of chatter had been a pleasant surprise. That she had coffee waiting for him was welcome, though, so he reveled in the warmth as the caffeine slowly filtered through his blood. By the time they reached the main floor of his apartment building, he was able to grin back at her and managed to pull his own bags along behind them.

He was reaching for the door with the same hand that held his cup, but Evie beat him to it and held it for him politely. He frowned, but kept his thoughts on doors and pretty girls to himself. It's not like this was a date, or that they were in any way together, or that she would ever be interested in him at all. She could open her own damn door if she wanted.

The taxi waited for them at the curb, the driver lifting the trunk lid and placing Jon's bags beside Evie's before sliding back behind the wheel.

"Thanks for the coffee," Jon rumbled from his seat beside her. "Needed that."

"No problem," Evie shrugged and reached to adjust a bobby pin that didn't want to behave and kept poking her scalp viciously.

She had waked from her nap feeling particularly pretty, and had dressed as such after her late night shower. Braiding her hair, she had pinned it into a simple, twisted bun before adding a barrette with a pretty blue bow. Her dress was a matching blue, with a cinched waist and a hem that fell just to her knees in gauzy layers. In a nod to the likely snowy weather, she wore her black ballet flats instead of heels. Cameos featuring Peter Pan graced her earlobes, and the pendent hanging around her neck read "I still believe in 398.2", which is the designation of fairy tales in the Dewey Decimal System. The necklace and her phone case – which featured a starry sky and the words "second star to the right and straight on 'til morning" – made her happy in a quiet, peaceful sort of way.

Her fidgeting brought Jon's attention to her hair, which led to him looking over what she was wearing. Her overcoat was black and cut to look more like a flared dress than the boxy peacoat he himself was wearing. He had noticed her lack of height while walking to the car, so the flat shoes didn't surprise him. The bare legs in January, however, did.

"You gonna be warm enough?"

Evie nodded. "I'll be fine! Besides, it's not as if we're going to be trekking through the countryside. Just from buildings to cars and back."

The taxi arrived at the airport quickly, the predawn streets mostly quiet, and the driver helped them with their bags as Jon counted out the fare, refusing to let Evie pay this time. Security went smoothly, as Evelyn's carryon bag was packed expertly and featured a pocket that could be unzipped to reveal her electronics without unpacking it all. She bought herself an early morning latte – 7 pump peppermint with whipped cream – and a muffin to nibble as they waited for their flight to board. Jon began to wonder where all the food she ate went, because it certainly wasn't adding to her modest curves.

Reaching their seats with little trouble and just a bit of jostling, the pair settled in quickly. Evie removed her coat and shoved it into the compartment above their seats. Jon gestured toward the window with raised brows, but she shook her head at the unspoken offer. She had seen a few people watching as they walked down the aisle, and thought it might make his flight easier if people couldn't openly stare at him the entire time.

"Mommy!" A little girl had stopped, big blue eyes wide, as her eyes flicked over Evie and Jon.

The woman tried to lure the girl into the seats directly in front of the pair, but sighed in resignation when her daughter refused to be moved. "What is it, honey?"

Jon mustered a smile. It didn't matter if it were barely dawn. If a kid recognized him, then he was happy to do what he could to put a smile on their face. He remembered being little and longing for any sort of recognition from one of his heroes.

"Mommy, it's. . . It's Wendy!"

Looking at Evie, the woman smiled. "Yes, Amelia, I think it is."

Amelia frowned at Jon and then whispered rather loudly. "But tha's not Peter."

Evie giggled and shook her head before leaning over to speak with the girl. "Peter had to stay in Neverland, remember?"

"Is that why you has ta take an airplane 'stead of just flyin'?"

"Yeah," Evie heaved a sigh. "Ran out of pixie dust."

The little girl nodded her head solemnly as the attendants began walking down the aisles to hurry people to their seats. "I hate when that happens."

"That's okay, though, because Peter still comes back for his stories."

Amelia grinned. "And you leave a window open so he can hear, right?"

"Of course!" Evie smiled. "Better go sit. Don't want to make your mother cross."

Amelia's mom smiled at the younger woman once again and then settled the tiny girl into her seat.

"That was really cool." Jon chuckled. "I thought you looked like somebody today."

Evie smiled as she buckled her seatbelt and prepared for the flight. "Sometimes, a girl just has to dress up. Even if it's just for her."

Jon nodded quietly and settled in, feeling the plane take off a few minutes later. With any luck, he could nap for a few hours and wake up feeling just a little better.

The sound of Evie humming and the soft click of her knitting needles lulled him to sleep.

Evelyn spent the flight knitting on a shawl for her mother's birthday. She had a little over a week to finish it, and quite a bit more to do before she could bind off. It seemed like it always worked out that way, though, and she had a lot of down time to work with it.

Waking Jon, she let him stretch and yawn before holding his travel pillow while he got situated for landing. After the plane reached the terminal, they were able to collect their luggage with little difficulty and then arrived at their rental quickly. The large black vehicle took Jon by surprise.

"This thing is huge!"

Evie nodded. "It is a bit . . . ostentatious. But, I thought it would be easier to just rent this now rather than exchange something after Colby and Joe join us in Dayton."

"I'll drive." Jon climbed in behind the wheel. "Need to get some breakfast."

Evie nodded and hit the power button for the GPS. "What do you feel like this morning?"

"Denny's?"

Evie giggled. "Hell yeah."

They ate breakfast quietly, both content with the cordial silence between them. She gave him the folder she had put together for him and explained that she would give him physical tickets for flights as often as was possible, that he should keep them in the folder, and how the schedule worked. He liked that she had color-coded the whole thing, with red being televised shows, green being live events, and blue being interviews or appearances. The last two were accompanied by a note letting him know if it were for TV or radio so that he could be prepared to be on camera.

The hotel was bustling with activity when they arrived later that morning, having spent the car ride alternately singing along with the radio or in silence. Colby and Joe would be arriving shortly, so Evie got them checked into their suite and her into her own single room. She let Jon know that she would be two floors down from them in case they needed anything and went to take a nap.

Evelyn didn't sleep well at night. Since she was young, she had found it difficult to close her eyes for more than a few moments in the darkness. She survived on caffeine and short naps throughout the day. Three or four solid hours now would hold her over until the next morning when she would sleep while the Shield members were busy in the gym. It was a strange arrangement by any standard, but it didn't have to work for anyone but herself.

O:O:O:O:O:

"Evie!" Paul's voice drew her up short as she entered the arena behind the members of the Shield.

Waving them ahead, she turned and smiled at her former boss turned friend. "What can I do for you?"

"I've got a card for your expense account. Just make sure all receipts are saved and given to Margo." He sighed and looked around as if concerned that they would be overheard. "Do you have a minute?"

Nodding, she followed him into an empty locker room. "What's goin' on?"

"I know we didn't hire you to be a babysitter, but –"

"I'm not going to tell three grown men what to do with their time or how to live their own lives, Paul."

"No! No, nothing like that." He shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck before adjusting the legs of his pants and sinking down on a bench and motioning her to do the same. "It's just that these three are my first real call ups from developmental.

"I need them to do well, or Vince will never let NXT get off the ground. I'm not asking you to keep them from doing stupid shit. Those three are _way_ too Alpha for that. I would just appreciate if you helped out in the timing department."

Evie nodded. "So you want a little help making sure they get enough sleep and aren't getting kicked off planes?"

"Yeah," Paul grinned. "These are our future champions. I'm sure of it. But, I cannot convince Vince of that if they're flat drunk or – even worse – violating the wellness policies."

Evie stood, brushing the pencil skirt she had changed into before work free of imaginary debris. "I'll do my best, but I'm not going to tell them what to do. I'm not going to be responsible for that."

"Deal," Paul chuckled. "We should get out of here before someone thinks we're up to something. Oh, and we'll need them in the office to pick up their new merch."

Agreeing, Evie shook her head and bid him farewell before hurrying to the locker room her boys had been assigned for the evening. Upon entering, she found herself rooted to her spot as all three men were standing three feet from the door, stern looks on their faces and hands either jammed in pockets or fisted at their sides.

Three sets of jaws twitched dangerously.

"What? What's wrong?"

Joe spoke first, his head tilting back slightly. "You okay?"

"Yeah. . . Why wouldn't I be?"

"That shit looked serious." Jon shrugged. "Didn't want him ganging up on you or some shit."

"Nah, I'm good." Evie smiled and sat her bags on one of the benches. "Now, I'm going to run down to wardrobe and get your things. Do you want me to grab anything from catering?"

"No, we can get our own food." Colby answered easily. "We'll eat before we change so we can warm up."

Nodding, Evie told them about their merch being in before she ducked out of the room and scurried down to see Miss Sandra and the girls in charge of making sure all the onscreen talent were dressed correctly. The older woman was busy taking inventory and making sure each piece went to the right person, sending garment bags and neatly folded articles off to their destinations with a smile and the occasional sassy remark.

"Miss Sandra?" Evie smiled. "I'm here for the Shield's gear, please."

Handing her a clipboard, she pointed out where the needed signature should go. "You going to be able to make it with three sets of everything? Think those vests weigh more than you!"

"I'm good." Evie shrugged. "Stronger than I look."

Sandra snorted. "If you say so, honey!"

Evie waited patiently as one of the girls got her things together and then helped hold Trinity's shorts while Sandra made some emergency alterations on the Funkadactyl's ring gear.

"Thanks, girl," Trinity smiled.

Evie nodded, finding it impossible to resist smiling in return. "It's no problem. I'm just waiting on the guys' gear."

"Oh! You're the new assistant Joe was telling us about!" Trinity beamed and shook her hand. "We were sort of wondering what kinds of things you would be doing."

Evie shrugged. "I have a feeling that a lot of my job is going to be beating poor little fangirls off those boys."

Sandra brought the vests the boys wore to the ring from their designated spot and laid them on top of the tall pile of ring gear. "This will do it!"

Looping a shoulder of each vest over her left arm, she let them swing as she gathered the clothes and then reached down to distribute their boots between both hands. "Thank you, ma'am. Bye, Trinity!"

The stack of clothes weighed her down quite a bit, and the three vests slapping against her knees made walking interesting until she figured out the rhythm. A production assistant stopped her in the hall, letting her know that the guys would need to shoot a promo before Raw went on the air and placing a stapled bundle of paper between her teeth. Brianna and Nicole Garcia-Colace, already in their Bella wear, giggled and waved as she walked by while Danielle Moinet – a hoody over her Summer Rae attire – hurried to knock on and then open the locker room door for her.

Danielle stepped in first and held the door for the other blonde. "I've got a delivery for you guys!"

Jon, seeing his gear on top, scooped them out of her arms while Colby and Joe followed suit. Taking the paper from between her lips, he let his thumb ghost over the faint pink outline of her lips left behind. She was thanking Danielle for the help, so he kept quiet and watched as she sat each of their boots down in front of their piles of clothes, not mixing any of them up or asking whose was whose. He wanted to smile at her, liking that someone was able to keep things straight, and that they wouldn't have to swap things back and forth as they normally did.

Evie read them the script while they changed, deciding to get the promo out of the way before eating and meeting up with Paul, and made a few penciled corrections where needed. The men were quickly realizing that having someone around to do all the stuff that took time away from their jobs was a great benefit. Already, they had saved nearly an hour that they usually wasted just trying to get their ring gear sorted, and didn't have to be interrupted by someone telling them they needed to be in a certain part of the arena by a certain time. Evie simply got a notification and then told them.

Jon felt a bit strange going to the ring in the new Shield hoody, but it was light years more comfortable than the combat style vest, so he didn't fuss about it too much. Evelyn had blushed lightly at the way his sleeveless shirt fit his chest, and he hadn't been able to resist flexing just a bit more than necessary as he pulled the hooded sweatshirt over his shoulders to zip it halfway. The match against Big E was fast and brutal, as they had gotten used to each other easily and worked together well. It wasn't until their heads collided near the end of the bout that problems arose.

Big E went for a clothesline, but miscalculated where he should've been standing. Jon felt the impact, flipped, and gained his feet immediately. It wasn't until he saw the widening of Ettore's eyes and the ref donning latex gloves that he realized there was blood involved. It had happened so many times in his wrestling career that he barely gave bleeding in the ring any thought, instead finishing the match and raising his arm in victory.

Making it through the curtain at the top of the stage, Evie was waiting with a sterile towel. Pressing it against the cut, she slipped the US Championship belt from his hand and slung it over her own shoulder as they moved quickly to the trainer's room. Colby and Joe walked ahead of them, clearing the path of production people and fellow wrestlers. A camera followed, filming their journey in case it could be used at a later time while a photographer did the same.

"You feelin' alright, Jon? Dizzy at all?" Her accent peaked out clearly as they moved, swatting his hand when he tried to take over holding the towel in place. "Any dark spots or flares?"

"I'm not concussed, babe, just bleedin'." Jon chuckled, getting a perverse sense of pleasure from walking briskly and watching as she fairly jogged sideways in order to both keep pace with him and pressure on his chin. "If you think this is bad, you should see some of my old stuff."

"I have," Evie's voice was distracted as they finally entered the trainer's room and got him up on the table. Moving, she let him lay down before wrapping the towel to cover his neck and then up around his head. "I've done my research."

"If the blood bothers you so much, you can step outside. No one will blame you."

Evie snorted in derision and rolled her eyes. "Blood doesn't bother me. Hell, this isn't even too much of it. Just don't like seeing you hurt."

Before he could respond, the trainer moved Evelyn out of the way to prep Jon for the stitches he so obviously needed.

*** **So... Thoughts? Do you think Paul was out of line? What do you think of Evie? Let me know, peeps! (Awesome, long reviews sometimes get rewards.)**


	3. My Old Kentucky Home

**So glad I listened to the amazing Angelsdee327 and built up a bunch of chapters. It's been so hot lately I cannot even concentrate! Hell, I NEARLY forgot to update this at all!**

 **Special thanks:** _Erica, NESSAANCALIME6913_ , and _Lucy1029_ **for the lovely reviews last chapter!  
**

 **Title from "My Old Kentucky Home" by Mr. Johnny Cash**

"Hey, Doodlebug!" Mike McCallister's booming voice echoed into the still morning air from where he stood on the front porch. The front steps of the old farmhouse were wide and welcoming. There were a few lights on inside.

"Hi, Daddy." Evie waved and tried to take her own bag from Gavin's car, giggling as he swatted her hand and sent her on her way up the walk. "Didn't think you'd be up this early!"

"Ah, I don't sleep past 6. You know that." Wrapping his arms around her was easy, and he frowned a bit, as he always did on such occasions. "You eating enough?"

Evie snorted lightly. "I'm traveling with three huge wrestlers. Some days, that's all they seem to do!"

"That Roman Reigns kid looks like he could put some grub away. They all did pretty good at the Rumble, though."

Evie laughed at the thought of Joe being called anything resembling a child. "He can really eat when he's of a mind to, though he tries to keep things health. He eats a lot of sushi. Jon – Dean on TV – is more fun to eat with. Lots of waffles and bacon."

"Well, you always did love breakfast." Ushering them into the house, Mike motioned Gavin up the stairs with her bags. "Speaking of which, how 'bout we go and get everybody fed?"

Annette McCallister awoke on the morning before her 48th birthday to the smell of bacon and the sound of her three children and one grandchild laughing downstairs. Evie had put together most of the meal by the time Abigail and her daughter, Lilly, arrived. Gavin was helping Mike feed the cows and pigs, knowing that the family couldn't eat before the big livestock was taken care of. Evie would handle the chickens after breakfast.

"Hi, Mom!" Evie came over, wrapping her arms around the older woman and kissing her lightly on the cheek.

"Hi, baby." Annette had called her youngest that from the moment she had stepped through the front door, and would likely never stop. "Have a good flight? Any problems getting in?"

"The flight was good, and Gav was there with the car by the time I landed."

Gail and Lilly both said their hellos, and then the men were back inside and washing their hands. Evie helped get everything on the table and then sat at her place beside Gail, Lilly in her highchair between them so they could give her bits of pancakes and scrambled eggs. Family breakfasts and dinners were one of the few things Evie missed about living on the farm, and she soaked up as much of the calm and quiet as she could.

The rest of the day was spent as most days on the farm were: working.

Evie donned a pair of knee high, black rubber boots and slogged through the slushy snow and freezing rain to the old chicken coop. Though the hens weren't as inclined to lay in the dead of winter, with the long nights and gloomy days, the Rhode Island Reds and Wyandottes would have an egg or two each day that needed to be picked and gently wiped clean. Evie hissed as a few of the more aggressive birds pecked the back of her hands as she reached under their warm bodies for their contributions to farm life. Gail had always hated gathering eggs for this reason, and was more inclined to help with forking hay for the cattle.

The family held a party for Annette the next evening, and they were busy all day making sure the guest of honor didn't contribute more than her famous pecan pie to the festivities. Gail took her into town to get her hair styled and for a bit of light shopping while Evie made a cake – chocolate with chocolate fudge frosting – and prepared a glazed ham. The women from church had been invited and would all be bringing sides and desserts. Neighbors would also be making appearances, as well as a few of the school teachers with whom Annette had formed close relationships.

Her phone lit up with Joe's name just as she finished the base layer of chocolate fudge icing on the cake in preparation for decorating. Wiping her fingers, she answered with a smile. "Hello?"

"Hey, Evie," Joe's low voice held a hint of worry. "Sorry to call you when you're with family."

"Don't worry about it, hun. Was just spreading icing on the cake, and it needs to set for just a bit anyway. What's up?"

"It's Jon. He's still in Ohio, flipping out about something I can't even understand, and refusing to call you because it's your mom's birthday." He sighed and then hushed the little girl Evie could hear chattering in the background. "But, I'm about to go to the park and then dinner with my girls and don't know what else to do."

"I'll give him a call right away, Joe. Thanks for letting me know. You go on and enjoy your night with your family, and don't worry about Jon, okay?" Saying her goodbyes to the big Samoan and promising to call him if something were really wrong, she selected Jon from her contact list and waited.

"Oh, thank God." Jon's voice shook nearly as hard as his hands on the steering wheel. "Where are you?"

"What? I'm at my parents' house in Kentucky. What's wrong, Jon? "

Jon chomped his gum so hard he wondered if he would chip a tooth. "I know that. Where?"

"Outside Bowling Green." Stepping out onto the back porch to get away from the chatter of her aunts and father in the front room, Evie frowned out over the snow blanketing the barns and fields. " _What_ is going _on_?!"

Jon growled and jerked the rental he was driving into a rest stop before throwing himself out of the car and pacing as he lit up. "I thought I'd go to Cinci for a few days. See some old friends, you know? Shouldn't have gone back there feeling like I was.

"Ended up running into some people and getting in a fight. Just need to be around someone I like, you know?"

"Well, damn." Evie sighed. "Are you okay? Do you need me to come get you?"

Jon could hear his heart thudding in his ears, his hands were throbbing from hitting someone who he once considered a close friend, and every muscle felt loose and strangely wobbly. "I don't know. . . Maybe? What about your mom's birthday?"

"Well, let me worry about that. Where are you? Do you know?"

"Last sign I saw was for Hopewell, and then you called. I just got in the car and started driving south from Cincinnati."

"I know right where you are." Checking her watch, Evie sighed. "It's 2:00 now. If you don't mind hanging with a bunch of rednecks, farmers, and housewives for a birthday, you're more than welcome here with us."

Jon stopped moving. Besides Joe, no one had ever really invited him to hang out with their family like that. He had to swallow thickly before he responded. "You sure, Princess?"

"Of course!" Evie went back through the door, jogging up the stairs to pull on her boots and collect her coat. "My aunt Angela will finish icing the cake, and the rest will almost take care of itself. We should be back just in time for dinner."

"Um, okay." Jon nodded, much more calm now that there was a plan.

After they confirmed what rest stop he was currently at, she directed him to a local Walmart where it would be easier to find him without circling around on the highway and went to talk with her father.

"Daddy?" Evie grinned as she watched him playing with her niece while kicked back in his chair. "I'm gonna have to go for a little bit."

"Why?" Bracing the baby on his lap, he sat the recliner upright to focus on Evie's face. "What's goin' on, Doodlebug?"

"Jon was in Cincinnati and had some troubles. He's up by Hopewell, lost and a bit upset."

Mike nodded, a thoughtful look on his face. "Best bring him here, then. Use my truck. Tires are new. Want me to come with?"

"No daddy, I've got it." Evie got her aunt to finish up the cake and took the truck keys from the hook by the door. "The ham should be fine until dinner. We'll be back by around 6."

Angela smiled while Susan shooed her out. "We'll be fine, dear. Now, go get your friend."

O:O:O:O:O:

Jon was leaned against the car, puffing his way through a pack of Marlboros and watching the cars stop and go at the traffic light on the corner in between inspecting his abraded knuckles. He had braved going into the small gas station across the road just after hanging up with Evie to buy two more packs of smokes and a bottle of Coke, but then alternated between sitting in the car to warm up and leaning or pacing outside in order to smoke. After storming out of his friend's house, he had simply driven south out of instinct, eventually calling Joe after his second close call with the Kentucky highway patrol.

He should have just flown home from Cleveland like Colby or gone home with Joe like the Samoan had suggested, but there were people he wanted to visit in Cincinnati. He had taken the not-quite-three hour flight and bunked down at the house of his friend, Josh, for the night. Josh had been a childhood friend, one of the few with whom he still spoke, and they had had a good time playing cards and having a few beers while Josh's two young sons clambered around the living room demanding to be put in headlocks and tossed on the couch while his wife simply shook her head and let them know that she didn't want to hear any crying from them when they got hurt.

Wednesday morning, he woke and went for a run through the city, seeing what had changed or remained the same before taking a shower and repacking his bags. Shoving them in the trunk of the rental, he traveled across the city and climbed the rickety stairs to Dave's apartment. There were a few beer cans sitting on the steps, those closer to the top having been used as ashtrays.

Dave and their other friend, Caleb, greeted him warmly with big hugs and slaps on the back, and invited him in for a drink. Dave had always been one for a party, and pulled out a blunt almost immediately. Caleb shook his head and pointed out that Jon couldn't be around that sort of thing. The WWE was notorious for its wellness policy and how offenders were handled.

Laying the cigar wrapped weed down beside the ashtray, Dave grinned widely. "Man, you're looking good!"

"Thanks. Working hard, but it's finally starting to really pay off." Accepting a beer from Caleb, Jon nodded his thanks. "Things are about to pick up even more, too!"

Dave's brows waggled. "Yeah, I saw the pics of that little blonde bitch. You paying her, or did she come with the new digs?"

Jon frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"The little whore they had waiting on you backstage when you needed stitches last week!" Pulling out his phone, he tapped a few things and got the WWE mobile site up.

There, staring back at Jon in high contrast black and white, was a still image of Evie pressing a towel to his bloody chin. The shirt she had worn that evening had risen up as she raised her arms, showing a slice of her delicate skin and what looked like the top of a tattoo along her waist. The heels on her feet added to her height and had straps that made her ankles look delicate and nearly obscenely feminine while the tight skirt showcased her ass perfectly. It was the look in her eyes as she gazed up at him, lips parted on a now silent question, which had his breath catching and then speeding in his chest.

She looked worried and a bit angry.

"She's just a friend." Even as the words left his lips, he wanted to grab them and shove them back down his throat. He hadn't known her for long, but he knew those words to be a lie. "And no one's banging her."

"Why the fuck not?!" Dave sounded scandalized. "I'd tear that bitch up!"

Jon frowned, slamming his beer down on the little coffee table. "She's not a bitch, and don't talk about her like that!"

"What? I'm not sayin' anything other men aren't thinking! Can you imagine just bending her over one of those production cases? Hell, I'd fuck her in front of every person I could just to put her on display. Damn, man, those heels make her ass –"

Jon's fist connected with Dave's jaw before he could finish speaking, and the rest of him soon followed. Taking him down to the floor was easy, and Jon straddled his waist in order to continue punching the asshole until he was yanked away. Caleb had gotten between the two combatants, pushing Jon away and telling Dave to keep his big mouth shut.

Spitting on the floor beside his former friend's head, Jon spun on his heel and flew from the rat hole of an apartment. His cowboy boots thundered on the creaky wooden stairs, a few of the planks cracking under the heavy weight of his footfalls. He was behind the wheel, already cranking the car to life, before Caleb came out to see him. Spinning the rental around, he picked a random highway south and just started driving.

Now, Jon stood waiting on his personal assistant and sort-of friend, his knuckles scratched and a little bloody and hurting in the blowing wind and light snow. As he watched, an old red pickup truck lumbered around the corner and into the Walmart parking lot. A moment later, he caught sight of the driver and stood away from the car with a wide grin. He had known that her family lived on a farm, but the thought of Evie driving a truck had never occurred to him.

Evie saw a tall man in a dark coat and hat straighten from where he had been slumped against the door of a midsize sedan. Seeing that he was also smoking, she headed in his direction and sighed, relieved, when she saw that it was Jon. Shifting into park, she hopped down from the cab, her brown boots splashing lightly in the slush, and went to help him with his bags.

"Hey hun. You doin' okay?"

Nodding, Jon sighed. "Yeah. Just so pissed at someone who I thought was my friend."

"Well," Evie shrugged. "Sometimes people aren't who we think they are. And sometimes, when one friend starts to be happy or successful, another friend isn't able to handle it."

"And sometimes people are just assholes." Looking down at her in her thick soled winter boots, Jon was struck with just how beautiful she looked with her lack of makeup and her hair twirling in the breeze. "Thanks for coming to get me."

"No problem, hon." Grasping the smaller of his three bags after he took the heavier two, she placed them in the back seat of the crew cab. "Climb in and buckle up. This snow sucks."

Jon chuckled and followed orders before relaxing back against the seat. "So, do we need to stop for a present?"

"Mom will just be happy to have another mouth to feed. Trust me, you don't need to bring anything other than your appetite." Gesturing to the nearly full ashtray and the radio, Evie shifted into gear and began the return trip home. "Feel free to have a smoke or play with the radio. It's country, classic rock, or Christian preaching out here."

Jon chuckled and found a classic country station on the presets while Evie stopped for gas – which he insisted on paying for – and then drove through a Starbucks for some much needed caffeine.

 **So: A bit of family time for Evie! What do you think Jon will make of them? How do you feel about his response to his 'friend'? Feed me, people! (lol!)**


	4. Family

**As always a HUGE thanks to angelsdee327** (check out her stories, people!)

 **Shoutouts to NESSAANCALIME6913, Lucy1029, dreamin'BIG, and Khaaaaaaan** (Check her out too!) **for the reviews and love!**

The two story farmhouse blazed in the winter twilight, resplendent in its simple American glory, the warm yellow light shining from every window a beacon in the growing darkness of the midwinter night. Jon swallowed against the inexplicable lump in his throat and the weight on his chest. There was a deep yearning within his soul, a wistfulness for which he had no source, and a sadness that underlined all things.

 _This,_ Jon thought as he climbed down from the truck cab, _is what home is supposed to be._

Evie had pulled the truck into the big garage beside the red barn at the back of the house, helping Jon with his bags and calling out her greetings to those who were smoking and standing around the fire pit. It had been tradition amongst the members of the family to avoid smoking in front of Annette's mother, the matriarch of the family disliking the sight and smell, and that had grown to include Annette and her sisters. Few of the female members of the family smoked at all, and most of them avoided it at family gatherings rather than leaving the cooking or childcare to others in order to feed their habit.

"Hey, Doodlebug!"

Jon watched as a man stepped down off the back porch and walked to meet them at the back gate. They were able to look each other in the eye, though the older man's shoulders made Jon feel prepubescent. He was dressed in a pair of boots, clean overalls, and a blue flannel, his brown hair combed nicely and parted to the side.

"Hi, Daddy." Evie smiled and stepped through the gate while Jon was trying to wrap his head around this giant of a man being referred to as 'daddy'. "This is Jonathon Good. Jon, I would like you to meet my dad, Mike McCallister."

Mike nodded, holding his meaty hand out to the younger man. "Mr. Good."

"Uh," Jon was a bit uncomfortable with such a formal introduction, but recovered quickly enough to shake the man's hand before it became rude. "It's just Jon. Thanks for having me."

"Well, just call me Mike." Chuckling, Mike took Jon's discarded bag and then reached for the other. "I'll get these up to the spare room, and then we'll be sitting down to dinner."

Evie frowned as she relinquished her hold on the smallest piece of Jon's luggage and then his backpack. "You didn't wait on us, did you?!"

Mike snorted. "Hell no! I would've eaten an hour ago if it'd been done!"

Jon couldn't help smirking at Mike's wink, even as he felt strange about someone else carrying his bags. The men standing around the fire began tossing their cigarette butts and moving toward the house in anticipation of dinner. A few nodded their hellos, and one of the younger men handed him a bottle of beer. He was unsurprised to see that he now held a Budweiser. Motioning Jon to follow her, Evie took his coat and hung it on the long row of hooks beside the front door.

Meeting Annette McCallister was an experience Jon would not soon forget. The woman was plump, with apple cheeks and a ready smile. She was taller than Evie, coming up to Jon's chin even in her flat shoes, with dark hair and a mischievous twinkle in her clear blue eyes. She shook his hand warmly though he had the feeling she would have rather hugged him.

"We're so glad you could make it!" She spoke as if he were supposed to have been there all along instead of just tagging along because he had nowhere else to go. "We've set you a place next to Evie at the table."

Dinner was an interesting affair, with huge bowls of food being passed around three different tables. The children were situated at a table in the middle of the kitchen, moms occasionally running to get refills of milk or to bring more food to the younger ones. Those people who were too old for the kids' table, but too young for the adults were sitting around in the living room while Annette's friends from church sat at the main table with the family.

Jon had been worried that people would focus only on his WWE career or some of the stuff he had done in the indies, but no one even asked. Instead, Annette inquired about the slight limp he walked with and offered words of encouragement when he responded that it was just a sore calf muscle. Evie's brother, Gavin, focused on gym talk and whether or not Crossfit was something he should give a shot. A few of the women asked what church he attended, though Evie saved him by pointing out that they were on the road most Sundays, and weren't able to attend services as often as every week.

Jon was standing in the living room the first time he saw the boy. Small, though not small enough to be considered a toddler, with short blonde hair and black rimmed glasses. There were a few toys sitting on the low table, so he moved to the side while looking over the pictures on the mantle. The kid climbed up on the couch, but remained immobile as Jon moved around the room.

The pictures were lined up so they told a story. Abigail and Gavin as tiny babies and then those pictures you got taken in school every year with the generic blue-grey background. Jon's mother had never bothered to order copies, but the McCallisters obviously didn't share her thoughts on the subject of wasting money on their children. They were paired with each other so you could watch the dark haired duo, only a few years apart, grow and compare what they looked like when they hit the same age. Evie's face first appeared, her hair in short curls, thin, and so light it was almost white, in what would be the 7th grade set, her olive eyes wide and a little uncertain.

"Such a beautiful girl," the voice belonged to one of the church women, though Jon couldn't remember her name.

Jon nodded, though he frowned in thought. "Why doesn't she have some from when she was a baby?"

"Well, she wasn't fostered until she was twelve, after all. Sad to say no one ever bothered to take any 'fore that." The lady shook her head. "Shame about all that nastiness, but I suppose the Good Lord does things the way he does for a reason."

Hearing someone call out that it was time for cake, the woman chuckled and went toward the kitchen before Jon could respond. He looked around the room again, seeing the photos a bit differently now. Evelyn's first name was scrawled on the lower corner of a few photos, though she was referred to as 'Evelyn McCallister' in the pictures taken of her in high school. Her hair had grown a bit darker through the years, though it would never be the mahogany of her sister's or the light chestnut of her father's.

 _So Evie was fostered and then adopted?_ Jon frowned as he thought of the other bit of information. _What happened to her?_

Turning, he meant to join the others in the dining room, but stopped abruptly when the little boy from earlier was standing directly behind him, staring up at him through the thick lens of his glasses. Looking down at the boy, he grinned and raised his brows. In response, the kid copied his expression before tilting his head to the side.

"Are you Dean Ambrose?" The boy's voice was sweet and innocent, without any hint of guile. "Because momma said not to bug you about it but I don't think askin' is buggin' you. Is it?'

Jon chuckled. "Yes, I am. And you're not botherin' me."

"That's soooooo cool!"

Chuckling, Jon caught sight of Evie standing in the doorway, the lights from the dining room creating a halo in her hair. "My friends call me Jon."

"Can _I_ call you Jon?"

"Heck yeah, you can!" Gesturing to Evie, he grinned. "Let's go get some cake."

"Are you gonna beat up John Cena again?" The question, posed from out of nowhere, made him stumble.

"I don't know. Maybe."

"You should. I don't like him, but he's my brother's favorite and he always yells at me and says that I'm a baby but I'm _not_ a baby! I'm five!"

Something in the way the boy frowned as he said that told Jon that it was something important to him. Not wanting to make fun of a child, Jon kept himself from grinning through sheer force of will. "Five is definitely not a baby."

"That's what _I_ said!"

"Jacob?" Evie raised her voice to be heard over the din behind her. "Honey, don't you want some cake?"

"What kind?"

"My special chocolate with chocolate fudge."

Jacob's eyes lit up and he gave a jumping fist pump. "Yes!"

Waving them into the room, Evie giggled at Jon. "Don't worry, we already sang."

"Cool," Jon smiled and accepted a large slice of cake from Mike.

"Hey," Jacob crawled onto Evie's knee without asking, and she simply made room for his plate beside her own with no complaints or admonitions. "Remember when the Shield beat up on Orton, and Cena, and Daniel Bryan? That was cool."

Evie chuckled and shook her head. "I don't know if Jon really wants to talk about work right now."

"Nah, it's cool." Jon shrugged.

"Are you and Roman really fighting? Because it wasn't cool for you to try to take him out of the Royal Rumble and then he turned around and threw you _and_ Seth out and that wasn't very cool at all, and my brother says that you're probably gonna leave, but I told him that you weren't cuz brothers fight all the time, and that don't mean you don't still love him just cuz you're fighting."

Wondering how such a small boy was able to say all of that in one breath while also eating his slice of chocolatey goodness, Jon laughed. "You're right. Brothers fight, but we're still good."

The rest of the evening went much the same way with Evie bringing coffee out from the kitchen for anyone who wanted it after the cake was finished and Annette opening presents. Jacob continued to ask question after question with minimal interruptions from the adults until his mother finally took pity on the wrestler and bundled her son up to take home. Jon signed the boy's WWE hat and promised to send some Shield merch home with Evie soon. It didn't take much to make the boy beam, and it made Jon feel good as well.

After the presents were opened and the left-overs partitioned, the guests slowly began to make their way back to their own homes. Gail and Lilly were among the last to leave, with Lilly wrapping her arms around Jon's neck as tears poured down her chubby little cheeks. It was obvious that the toddler was exhausted, and her mother eventually coaxed her away from her new friend with copious apologies and promises to call her mother the next day. Evie had to assure the departing women that she could handle the dishes and trash before exchanging hugs with each of them as she helped with coats and containers of food.

Jon had retreated to the living room with Mike so they were out of the way while Evie and Annette bustled around getting everyone set to leave. The two men were sipping their beers quietly, the television on but largely ignored across the room. While Jon desperately wanted to ask the man about Evie's adoption, he had no experience with such sensitive topics and so left the subject alone.

It wasn't long after the guests left that Mike and Annette said their goodnights and stepped up the stairs together. Evie excused herself to go change, and Jon took the opportunity to do the same before coming back down to the living room. He pulled on his black sweats and hoody, mindful of the chilly house, and returned to see Evie looking through the DVDs on the shelves. She had changed into long john pants and shirt, both with the sort of design you see on winter sweaters.

Evie smirked when she noticed him. "Get enough to eat?"

Rubbing his distended tummy, Jon chuckled. "Thought I was gonna have to punch one of your aunts to stop them from giving me more."

"Yeah, they're like that. I try not to be, but sometimes find myself doing it too. We show we care through food."

"If all your cooking is as good as that cake, then me and the guys are going to keep you around for a long damn time."

Giggling, Evie decided on a movie – a favorite of hers since she saw it just after moving to the farm – and motioned to the couch. "Get comfy, and I'll get us something to drink."

"What're we watching?"

" _The Goonies_ ," Evie shrugged at his confused look. "It's a kid's movie, but I love it so much."

"I've never seen it."

"Really?! It seems like such a 'you' movie, though. Pirates, a group of really close friends, lost treasure, booby traps, and a boy just trying to do what he can to help his family."

Nodding, Jon settled on the couch and accepted the soda she handed to him before starting the DVD player.

Jon found himself enjoying the film a great deal more than he had anticipated, as the action was on point and the kids were hilarious. The story of "One-Eyed" Willy captivated him just as much as it did Evie, and he felt goosebumps rising along his arms. He pumped his fist when the group escaped the Fratellis and laughed as poor Chunk spilled his guts in the face of terror. Sloth made him chuckle, though he felt sorry for the big, lovable freak. By the end, Evie was leaning against his arm enjoying his warmth and the delight he was garnering from the film.

"You're right," Jon nodded and tried to ignore the disappointment he felt as Evie stood to exchange the movie for another. "That was fuckin' awesome."

"Thought you would like it. Goonies never say die just fits you too much."

Smirking, Jon stretched his arms out along the back of the couch. "You're a really awesome friend, you know that?"

Evie ignored the slight twinge in her stomach and replaced the movie on the shelf. "What do you want to watch next?"

He shook his head. "Surprise me."

O:O:O:O:O:

Jon ended up watching _The Neverending Story_ with Evie before bidding her goodnight and heading up to bed, happy that he now knew where the tattoo on the inside of her right wrist came from. It was the twisting snake talisman from that movie. Evie said that, in the novel the movie was based on, it's explained that the snakes represent their shared mutual creation and destruction.

When he came down the stairs the next morning, he was surprised to see that Annette was the only one still inside. She let him know that, since Evie was home and able to help with chores, she would be going to work at her bookshop in town before putting eggs, bacon, and biscuits down in front of him along with a cup of coffee. Having eaten, he went out the back door in search of company.

He found Evie as she stepped out of a little shed carrying a five gallon bucket full of what looked like seeds and grain, her opposite arm thrown out to help her balance as she moved. She was wearing a pair of rubber boots with her jeans and flannel shirt, a thick brown coat falling to her thighs. Her hair was braided and covered with a bandana. She was more beautiful now than the first day he saw her.

"What's up?" Jon took the bucket from her and grinned at her thankful smile.

"Just taking that to refill the chicken feeder tubes in the coop. They're getting a little low." Stretching as she walked, Evie motioned him along. "Gotta fill the tubes and then clean and fill the waterers."

Following her into the small building, he twitched his nose at the unfamiliar smell. While not unpleasant, it was almost dusty. The coop itself was relatively warm, probably from the amount of chickens sitting around in the laying boxes and on the wooden perches built into the walls.

Taking the scoop from the top of the bucket, Evie filled five vertical PVC tubes with elbows at the ends. The chickens could walk up and eat without spilling too much of the food or getting it dirty. Gathering the watering jugs as they left, she unscrewed them from their red bases and washed them before refilling them.

Jon was quietly fascinated, the day-to-day life of a farm had never occurred to him, and watching Evie work so naturally made him aware of just how much these people had to put into each day of their lives. He also understood how Evie was able to keep so many different things organized and running smoothly. After the chickens were taken care of, they went to the barn and helped Mike feed the cattle.

Jon spent the rest of the week taking part in farm activities, going for runs and doing body weight exercises in the afternoons when Evie would take a three or four hour nap. Gavin occasionally joined him, marveling at the amount of work the younger man put into his body. Mike simply shook his head and chuckled at the boys.

Since Raw was being held in Omaha, Nebraska that week, Jon and Evie stayed for Sunday dinner before leaving late that afternoon, Annette pulling him in for a warm hug before he stepped out the door. Mike gave them a ride to pick up Jon's rental, hugging Evie goodbye and slapping Jon on the back in a friendly farewell. Jon drove the first leg of the trip while Evie slept quietly in the passenger seat, the radio playing softly. Evie took over after they stopped for supper, sipping coffee and singing along to the radio while Jon read a bit and texted back and forth with Joe and Colby.

Jon let them know that he had spent the last few days at the McCallister family farm with a group text.

Joe's response was immediate and full of surprise. _You?! On a farm?! Did you die of boredom and they brought you back to life to get to work?_

Jon snorted and shook his head. _Fuck you, man. It was pretty nice, actually._

 _I can't imagine you on a farm._ Colby added to the conversation. _What kind of animals do they have?_

Jon glanced over at Evie as she drove, illuminated by the passing lights and the meager glow of the dash. _Chickens and cows mostly with some pigs. Evie says the pigs are for the meat more than to sell._

Joe and Colby went back and forth on the merits of keeping animals before Joe asked the important question. _So you spent four days on a farm with Evie and her family. Can she cook?_

 _Hell yeah, she can cook! I went on extra-long runs every afternoon to keep it from all going to my ass._

His stable mates both responded with laughter, and then signed off in order to make their flights. Leaning his seat back, Jon stretched his legs and let himself drift off to the sound of the highway passing and Queen playing on the radio.

Evie loved driving at night with just the radio for company. Jon was one of the more entertaining and enjoyable driving partners she had ever had, but it was still nice to have some time with her thoughts. And those treacherous thoughts were in need of some attention.

The wrestler settling in for some sleep in the passenger seat was almost too attractive for her to deal with, though he seemed interested in her more as a friend than as a romantic partner, and she didn't blame him for that at all. The man was surrounded on all sides by beautiful, talented, athletic women who would be idiots not to give him the time of day, and that number would only increase as the Shield turned face and their popularity soared. Thinking of the lines permanently etched into her skin, she frowned darkly. Why would he want a scarred, screwed-up, tiny girl like her when he could have some curvy beauty wrapped around him every night?

Shaking her head to rid herself of those thoughts, Evie concentrated on driving. With any luck, they would be in Omaha by two or three in the morning, and Jon could get some uninterrupted sleep before gym time with the guys.

Her attraction to the cute wrestler with the blazing blue eyes and the adorable smile didn't matter. It was only there because she had been a confirmed loner for so long. It would pass soon, he would go find some pretty diva to spend his evenings with, and Evie would be just fine without him.

If only she believed that.


	5. Say Hello to The Pittbull!

**The first station mentioned here is completely fake. Didn't want to use anything real for that bit of scene.**

"So, you're planning on hitting the bar after the show tonight?" Evie's legs moved twice as fast to keep up with the long strides of the men. "We have to be in Ontario by 8:00AM tomorrow for another radio spot."

They were tramping through the lobby of the building that housed the Los Angeles radio station they were booked on that morning, Evie clipping badges that read 'visitor' to their shirts as they moved. Colby looked calm and collected as usual, his two toned hair tucked under a fitted knit hat. Joe was chomping his gum hard, his flexing fingers the only thing denoting his nervousness. Jon's shoulders moved languidly as he walked, the fingers of his right hand coming up to rub at his left collarbone as they stopped to wait for the elevator.

"It's just a couple of drinks with some friends," Joe shrugged. "No big deal."

"Look," Jon tapped his fingers along his shoulders as he shifted his weight from one foot to another. "If we're not out of there by midnight, kick our asses and drag us back to the room."

Evie nodded and narrowed her eyes. "Don't think I won't do it."

Colby smirked as they stepped into the metal car. "I'm more worried about fidget boy over there getting through this interview than I am about us drinking later."

Evie frowned. Of the three men in the car with her, Jon was the most natural on the mic. He never had a problem cutting a promo or remembering to hit certain marks, even though he hated being told what to say in any way, shape, or form.

Joe, seeing her obvious confusion, chuckled. "Jon gets distracted answering questions easily. He'll go off on a tangent and then forget what he was supposed to be talking about."

"Sorry," Jon shrugged as he watched the numbers slowly count up. "I just get so _bored_ doing this shit."

Evie grinned up at the blonde. "Don't worry. If you get off topic, just look over at me."

"Huh?" Confused, Jon frowned down at her.

Evie shrugged. "I've got you covered."

It had been over a week since they left her family's farm in Kentucky, and he still didn't know any more about the tiny blonde woman beside him. He wanted desperately to speak with her about her past, but was uncertain how to bring up such an excruciatingly complex subject. Not knowing how she would feel about others knowing her personal business, he had kept that part of the trip to himself.

Now, even while she was standing next to him wearing a short sweater dress and tall black boots, he couldn't help but see the farm girl underneath. He clearly remembered the first morning he stepped outside to see her in those black rubber barn boots with her hair a mess, showing him how to clean watering trays for the chickens and laughing as he tried (and failed) to imitate her perfect, natural movements. Then, the thought of her in those long johns came to mind, and he was forced to think about baseball and hockey stats to keep from embarrassing himself like some twelve year old schoolboy.

Giving a light 'ding', the elevator stopped and the doors slid open easily to reveal the lobby area for the radio station itself. A young woman with hair so white the dark roots looked black sat flipping through a magazine, her long pink nails tapping along with the beat of the station's music being piped through the speakers overhead. Glancing up as they stepped onto the tiled floor, she gave a dazzling smile and stood to greet them.

"The Shield and Ms. McCallister, right?" At Evie's nod, her smile softened a bit. "Hi, I'm Gabby! So pleased to meet you!"

The girl's eyes lingered over the men before focusing on Evie's stern gaze. "I'll let them know you've arrived."

A short man with thinning brown hair and a pair of small dark eyes behind thick glasses strode authoritatively through the door before she could press the intercom button. "Hello! I'm Thomas Blake, and I'm the manager here at Metal 97.5."

Evie watched as he shook hands with each of the men, leaving her for last. "I'm their personal assistant, and will be needing access to all planned questions."

Thomas chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Darling, why don't you be a dear and bring these young men some coffee. I'm sure they could use the pick-me-up this early in the morning. I know I could. Cream and two sugars for me, thanks."

Evelyn bristled, her jaw set squarely and her shoulders dropped back dangerously. "I'll be happy to get _them_ some coffee in just a few moments, as that is part of my job, but not before looking over that list of questions. There are some that are off limits entirely, and my clients will not be subjected to refusing to answer them on the air."

"Now," Thomas's head tilted down and to the side while he smirked condescendingly. "Do you really think you're qualified to make that sort of call?"

Jon glowered, ready to lay into the little jerk, but Joe's hand clamping down on his shoulder kept him in place. As he watched, Evie's face changed. Her eyes grew wide and vacant, her mouth developed a pout, and her jaw loosened up noticeably. She reached to twirl a strand of loose hair around her finger as she frowned in confusion.

"Do you think that, because I'm little and blonde, that I must be stupid?" Before the manager could answer, Evie snapped back to attention and placed her hands on her hips. "I hate to burst your bubble, but I'm not stupid, and I know my job _very_ well. Now, either you get me a list of questions to review _and_ the people in charge of this interview, or we turn around and leave."

Jon froze in shock, feeling Joe and Colby tense beside him. Walk out? They could do that? No one had ever informed him that he didn't have to answer a question that made him uncomfortable before, and he welcomed the knowledge. He knew he had a certain . . . reputation, and disliked when interviewers asked him about his romantic past, though he sometimes played like it didn't matter.

Jon hated the way that little asshole was speaking to Evie. He loathed that she seemed used to it even more. Did people treat her this way all the time, or was it something else left over from her childhood? He really wanted to put his fist through the guy's face.

Mark and Steve, the two morning DJs, soon stepped out of the booth. Both were tall, though not quite as built as Jon or Colby, with Californian good looks and bottle blonde hair. Greeting the men, they soon turned their attention to the petite blonde woman, their eyes flicking over her legs and the tall, heeled boots before smiling.

"Well, hello." Mark, the taller of the two smirked and held his hand out to her. "I'm Mark."

"Evie," she shook his hand quickly and then moved right into what she needed from them. "I need a copy of your questions for the guys so I can okay them."

"Well, we don't write anything down." Steve shrugged and glanced around the room. "It makes the conversation stilted and boring as shit."

Sighing, Evie shook her head. "Fine. Here are my ground rules. No questions about the following will be tolerated: Personal lives, the WWE creative team, backstage rumors, or concrete story lines are out. If you go there, we walk. They've got a match against the Wyatts at Elimination Chamber coming up, so stick to that, and we'll be good."

Mark shrugged and nodded. "Sounds good!"

"Hell yeah!" Steve nodded along and motioned to the others to follow him. "Let's go get set up!"

Ignoring Thomas now that the DJs were speaking, Evie smiled. "Coffee?"

Jon, Joe, and Colby all accepted, and so she followed Gabby into the Employee's lounge. "The coffee any good?"

"Yeah, it's pretty awesome!" Gabby glanced behind Evie and then caught her eyes. Leaning in, she whispered hurriedly. "Keep an eye on those two. They're assholes, and they'll try to sneak in all sorts of questions you don't want."

Evie frowned as she processed the information. "Why are you working here?"

Gabby shrugged. "Degree in hospitality doesn't go far."

"That's what my degree is in." Evie shrugged. "Look, stop in at Elite Staffing over in Santa Monica. Ask for Bruce, and tell him I sent you. He's a good friend and should be able to get you started somewhere better than this."

Evie gestured toward the door. "I've got to get in there and set up before they go on the air."

Gabby nodded, thanking her for the reference, and helped carry the coffee to the studio where they passed it out to the men before returning to the reception desk. Placing herself directly across from Jon, Evie sat her bag down beside a chair before removing her iPad and pulling up a writing program that would allow her to write with her stylus. She smiled lightly as Mark pointed out the tech who would be uploading and livestreaming the visual to the internet.

"Will I be on camera?"

The man shook his head shyly. "No ma'am. Not unless you sit or stand at the table in front of the mics."

"Okay, thank you."

Just then, the song playlist was coming to an end and the men settled in. Steve started them off by welcoming the Shield to the station and letting everyone listening know where they would be appearing later that evening. Evie sat quietly, listening intently and chuckling as Jon relayed – in full manic Ambrose fashion – what they had in mind for the Wyatt family at Elimination Chamber.

"So," Mark leaned forward in his seat a bit, side-eyeing his broadcasting partner. "This is a question for each of you: Who is your favorite opponent you've ever had in the ring and why?"

Evie wrote down shorthand of the question ' _Favorite opponent ever? Why?_ ' as she listened to Joe answer the question in his usual calm, thought-out way. Colby was next, discussing a few different men he had squared off with during his Ring of Honor days. Jon, having such a large background on the independent circuit, got a bit bogged down and went on several tangents as he attempted to answer. Colby rolled his eyes and sipped his coffee while Joe tried not to smile. Evie simply held up her tablet so that Jon could see the question written there and smiled indulgently when he read it and was able to get himself back on track.

"We've got Randy Orton coming in tomorrow morning." Steve adjusted his mic so it picked up his lower voice more clearly. "You've had your share of problems with him in the past, right?"

Joe nodded. "Yeah, he's a tough competitor."

"I hear he can be a real problem backstage. Any thoughts on that?"

Evie cleared her throat dangerously, her sharp green eyes trained on the offending interviewer.

"Yeah," Colby frowned at the other man. "We're not here to discuss rumors."

"Okay, okay," Mark made placating movements with his hands held up in the air. "Don't get your lacy underthings in a bind. Didn't know you boys had to have permission from your little bit of fluff over there."

Catching the insult for what it was, Evie fumed silently. There was no reason to end the interview simply because this idiot was being deliberately mean to her by insinuating that she was sleeping with the guys. This wasn't about her, after all, but about the boys.

"Get to the next question." Jon's voice was low, menacing in its simmering anger. He was almost sad that he'd drunk the coffee as fast as he had. It would've been nice to nail one of these assholes with it.

"Wow, guys," Steve shook his head. "We didn't mean to get off on the wrong foot like this. Truly sorry. We were just going for some friendly conversation without it sounding like every interview you've ever done."

"And, speaking of friendly conversation," Mark joined his cohost with a smile. "Roman, how old is your daughter now? Any boy trouble yet?"

Evie was on her feet and across the small space before Joe's frown could fully form on his dark brow. "We're done here."

Evie was flipping the switches on their mics before anyone fully understood what she had said. The boys then began pulling on their coats as her intentions became clear. "We agreed beforehand that we would not discuss unsubstantiated rumors or personal information. You couldn't abide by those simple requests."

"Wow!" Mark shook his head and looked at both Steve and the man operating the camera in the corner, now also filming Evie. "I'll admit that I was impressed when they said you were their personal assistant. I mean, I could use your assistance with a thing or two! But I didn't know you kept their balls in your purse!"

Evie snorted, leaning over to get in Mark's face. This brought her closer to the microphone in front of him and within the camera viewing area. "Darlin', you have no idea the kinda storm you just caused yourself and this station. Maybe, you should use the time you would've had talking to the Shield to explain to your listeners why Mr. Orton will not be appearing here tomorrow!"

Evie waved the men ahead of her as she slipped her bag over her shoulder and motioned to the 'coming artists' board. "I bet you half these other people cancel before I'm even out of the building. Anyone willing to sit and talk to a misogynistic, gossip-mongering piece of trash like you is not someone I want to associate myself with. Now, don't bother tryin' to get up. We'll show ourselves out."

Evie was nearly to the door when she spun on her heel, smiling softly. "I'm sure the morning crew over at KROQ will be happy to laugh about this with us next time we're in the city, because a billion dollar company such as the WWE certainly doesn't need to lower itself to this level."

Turning, she swept from the room, collecting the men from where they were listening just outside the door. "C'mon. Let's go get some breakfast."

Jon, unable to help himself when the pride bubbled up inside his chest, wrapped a heavy arm around her neck and strutted down the short hall with her. Thomas met them in the lobby, trying desperately to corral the three large men and the angry woman. It would look bad on the station, he explained, if they walked out mid-interview.

"No one will want to stop here for talks or to promote their shows!"

"Maybe," Joe rumbled dangerously, "you should've thought about that before you let your idiot DJs talk to us like that."

"But they _didn't_ talk to you that badly." Thomas shrugged. "They only fussed at your little assistant a bit."

"If you're mean to her, then you don't respect us." Jon shrugged. "Simple as that."

Evie shouldered her way past the short man. "So, who wants pancakes?"

They were standing at the curb waiting for the car to pick them up when Colby burst out laughing, nearly doubling over under the weight of his mirth. Joe reached over and cupped the back of her head in his large hand, ruffling her hair affectionately. Jon quietly tightened his arm just a bit and brought her more firmly into his side.

O:O:O:O:O:

Danielle's voice rang out as Evie stepped through the back entrance of the arena. "Make way for the freakin' pitbull!"

"Oh, my God!" Brie and her twin spoke simultaneously, hurrying over to join the two blondes. "We had the interview on while at the gym. I cannot believe those assholes!"

"Brie almost fell off the treadmill when you stopped the interview." Nikki giggled. "We had no idea you were so hardcore!"

"If you ever get tired of those three, give me a call!" Brie sighed. "Planning a wedding in Arizona while traveling and all this stuff is just wearing me out! I'm going to walk down the aisle in two months with grey hair!"

Evie frowned. "That must really suck. Wish there was something I could do to help!"

"I've just been trying to do most of it myself, you know?"

Evie nodded. "It's probably time to find a planner in Arizona who can oversee things and make sure it's done right. The cost is probably worth it."

"Yeah," Brie sighed. "You're right."

"What I want to know," Danielle rejoined the conversation with a wink and a smile, "is what kind of trouble are you guys in for pulling that?"

Evie shrugged. "None."

"Seriously?!" Nikki was obviously not expecting that reaction. "Like, at all?"

"Nope. Those men and their questions were out of line, and I handled it pretty well, all things considered."

"Where are the guys now, then?"

"They hit the gym after breakfast and then went for a nap. I only came this way first because Joe had to have his vest changed and I wanted to make sure the seam is trimmed low enough before he tries it on. That boy does not like putting stuff on and then taking it off for alterations, and I don't want it rubbing the back of his neck like the last one."

"That," Danielle smirked and shook her head, "will go down as one of the best moments outside of the ring this year."

"Ms. McCallister!" Randy Orton nodded as he walked past, giving one of his patented smirks. "Thanks for the extra two hours of sleep I'm getting in the morning! Had my PA cancel as soon as I heard what those assholes pulled."

Evie laughed and shook her head. "It's going to be interesting to see who wants to talk to them now that they're getting a reputation."

Curtis, not yet in his Fandango gear, came to collect Danielle soon after so that they could go over a new dance move before Raw and the twins went to find Bryan and John.

Left alone, Evie stashed her bags in the locker room, making sure her phone was in the pocket of her dress before heading back out to visit wardrobe at the back of the arena. That task completed (Miss Sandra has assured her that the neck seam issue was taken care of), Evie had just stepped into the locker room and placed the gear in three stacks when there was a knock at the door. She opened it to reveal an obviously frustrated Danielle and Curtis.

"What's up?"

Danielle worried her hands and furrowed her brow a bit. "Can we ask you a favor?"

"Probably."

"Curt's trying to show me a new spin that he wants to use later, spice things up a bit, you know? But I'm just not getting what he wants me to do and it would be way easier if I could see it."

"So you need a stand-in and no one else is able or willing?"

Curtis laughed. "Exactly."

Leaving the room, she followed them to the empty hallway just past the Shield's locker room. "What am I doing?"

They explained that Curtis wanted her to do a sort of fast spin with his hands skimming her waist and bringing her into his body so that she ended with both her legs pressed against the outside of his thigh and her upper body being supported by his arms. Evie nodded and tried the move a few times until he was satisfied. Watching the smaller woman move, Danielle was quickly able to see what she had been doing wrong and soon had the move down perfectly.

"What the **fuck**?!"Jon slammed his forearm against the dressing room door, forcing it open so hard it rebounded off the wall. He growled and slung his bags across the room before pacing along the worn carpet. "Why was Evie all over that asshole?"

Joe and Colby glanced at each other, but kept their thoughts on the subject to themselves. Jon continued to pace and grumble to himself until Evie walked through the door, waving to someone over her shoulder. The smile on her face only served to make Jon more angry.

"Having fun?" His voice was low, more raspy and abrasive than usual. "Thought you were supposed to be here to get our shit together, not flirt around with the mid-carders."

Evie was instantly livid. "First of all, what is your major malfunction? Everything was handled. Second of all, Dani asked for some help with a dance move Curt needed to show her. No big deal."

"Yeah, fine." Yanking his shirt over his head, Jon grabbed the one Evie had laid out for him. Throwing it to the ground at her feet, he growled yet again. "Not that one. I want the one with the Shield patch on the chest."

Nodding, Evie snatched the offending cloth off the ground before turning to Joe. "Joe, Sandra says she's got the vest fixed for you, but you might want to try it on once so we can make any needed last minute changes."

"Are you going to do your job or not?!" Jon hadn't raised his voice, or moved from where he sat taking off his cowboy boots, but Evie felt as if she'd been slapped.

Nodding once again, she fled the room.

Joe rounded on him before the door was even shut. "Dude! What the fuck was that about?!"

"I think she was crying." Colby frowned and looked at the door as if thinking of chasing after her.

Jon instantly felt like shit. He dropped his boot and slumped back on the bench before scrubbing a hand through his hair and down his face. "I don't know! Okay?! We walked through the door, and there she is all over Hussey, and I just got _pissed_. I don't even know what the fuck is goin' on with me right now!"

Joe and Colby were silent for a heartbeat before dissolving into helpless laughter.

"Oh, my God!" Colby coughed through his laughter, trying to catch his breath. "You have a thing for our little Evie!"

"What?" Jon frowned and focused on Joe, who was nodding along. "You two are fuckin' idiots. Evie's awesome, but totally not my type."

"Maybe that's why you like her so much." Joe chuckled. "C'mon, man. I see the way you look at her."

Scoffing lightly, Jon began pulling off his jeans to replace them with the cargo pants he would wear to the ring. "How do I look at her?"

Joe focused all his attention on the other man, forcing Jon to do the same. "Like she could be your everything."

Fastening his pants, Jon flopped down on the bench, slumping in defeat. "Shit."

"Yeah," Colby nodded. "So stop being a jealous asshole and be nice for a change."

While Jon was busy wrestling with his emotions, Evie stood leaning against a wall. She had attempted to hold in her tears, but was unable to for long. She found a spot without a lot of foot traffic, put her hands over her eyes, and let go for a moment. After she got the worst of it out of her system, she would be able to hold the rest in for later when she was alone.

"Ye alrigh' Lass?" The thick brogue came from a tall redheaded man.

Evie nodded, taking a few deep breaths to settle her nerves before speaking. "Yeah. Just got overwhelmed for a second there."

"Stephen Farrelly," he held out a large hand for her to shake and grinned when she introduced herself in return. "Ah, the little blonde pitbull who tore in ta the radio arseholes this morn'!"

Evie giggled. "Yeah, that's me."

"Hey Stu!" Stephen called out to another man, who Evie recognized as Wade Barrett. "Come meet my new friend!"

The two turned out to be very sweet, walking with her to wardrobe and telling her that you couldn't tell she had been crying. While Evie knew it to be a lie, it was still nice to hear. Dropping the shirt off in the Shield locker room, she kept herself from looking at any of them for long while retrieving her things and letting the three of them know that she'd be in catering for the rest of the evening if they needed anything. If Jon didn't want to be civil, that was fine, but she didn't have to be around someone who spoke to her so harshly without cause.

Raw went well, though Evie watched it on one of the monitors set up by one of the catering tables. She kept herself busy with filling out a schedule for the rest of the month for each of the guys. Jon's was done perfectly and slipped into the black folder, though she had the unprofessional – yet curiously satisfying – urge to shove it down his throat. Stephen and Stuart had invited her out for dinner and a friendly drink once they realized she just needed someone to talk to, and she planned to take them up on the offer.

"Here," Evie handed the keys to the rental to Jon along with his folder when she came to collect their ring gear at the end of the night.

"Thought you wanted to drive." He grumbled as he shoved his feet into his boots.

Evie shrugged. "I'm going out to dinner with a couple of friends. I'll be around to drag ya'll out of the hotel bar at midnight."

"Who are you going out with?"

Frowning, Evie narrowed her eyes. _Why the hell should I tell him?_ "Like it should matter to you, but Stephen and Stuart wanted to hang out for a bit."

"Why the hell _wouldn't_ it matter to me?!" Jon surged to his feet.

"Because I'm just the Shield's personal assistant, right? It's no big deal if a couple of the guys want to grab dinner and hang out for a while, _right_?"

"Yeah," Jon scoffed. "Whatever."

Evie hurriedly collected the things that needed to go back to wardrobe. "Yeah, whatever."

The guys went out with some friends as well as Joe's cousin, Dwayne, for a late dinner before settling down in the hotel bar and didn't see Evie again until midnight. As promised, she came to collect them and get them in their suite. The men sitting around the bar, most of them either on-air talent or backstage staff for the company, either glanced at the tiny beauty or outright stared as she stepped through the door wearing a Shield hoodie over fitted workout wear. A table of PAs in the corner let out a collective whoop and applauded her earlier actions.

Joe and Colby were sitting with Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson, sipping their beers and laughing at tales from the road. Evie greeted them with a smile and motioned towards her wrist. Colby groaned dramatically and Joe made a show of pouting his full lower lip at her. Rolling her eyes, Evie smiled and pretended to kick them in the butts. Getting the message, they began wrapping up their conversation, explaining to the others that they had a nearly hour long drive ahead of them in the morning and a radio spot at 7AM.

Jon had separated himself from his stable mates, choosing to sit at the bar with a glass of whiskey. The blonde sitting next to him was both familiar and excessively obvious, causing Evie to roll her eyes at the display. Sighing, she stopped beside him and tapped his shoulder lightly.

"Jon, it's midnight."

He snorted, throwing back what was left in his glass and motioning to the bartender for another. "Like I give a shit."

Evie raised a brow. "I'm sure you will in the morning when we have to be out of here by 6."

Renee's lip curled in a self-satisfied smirk. "Don't worry about Jonny. I'll make sure he gets to bed okay."

Now it was Evie's turn to snort before leveling a disbelieving stare at the side of his head, as it had become clear that he was ignoring her. "Well, I guess I'll leave you to it, then. Have fun, _Jonny_."

With that parting shot, Evie followed Joe and Colby out of the bar, though she went straight through the lobby and along a hall to the hotel gym. This one was better equipped than some of the others she had been in while with the company, and she spent a few moments looking over the machines and free weights. This time of night, she had the entire room to herself, so she plugged her iPod into the speakers set up to one side before stepping on a treadmill to warm up.

She was well into her free weight rotation when a clearing throat called her attention to the man standing just inside the door with his hands shoved in his jean pockets.

"Yes," she didn't stop moving. Why should she throw off her rotation for someone to yell at her?

Jon sighed and rubbed at the back of his neck. "I'm sorry. Don't know why I was such an asshole."

Evie smirked, enjoying that he actually hunted her down to apologize. "Wow, that must have hurt."

"Not as much as my head is going to in a few hours." He shook his head. "That was really dumb."

"Just don't expect me to take it easy on you in the morning." Evie grinned. "I've got a reputation to uphold now."

"Yeah," Jon chuckled and watched as she finished her last round and then collected her player from the dock. _Could those leggings be any tighter?_ He didn't touch her as they walked back to the elevators, though he angled himself so he was between her and the rest of the lobby.

"You're really good at keeping us in line, you know that?"

Evie shrugged. "You're grown men and can handle yourselves. I'm just here to remind you that you have responsibilities to attend to from time to time."

When the elevator stopped two floors below his own, Jon frowned as he watched her step off. "Why aren't you up with us?"

"Because my room is down here." She shrugged. "I don't room with anyone, so I only need a single. Hell, if you guys didn't need me at odd times and such, I'd be staying in a $20 a night motel across town."

Jon scowled, the alcohol making him a little surlier than normal. "No."

"'No', what?" Evie let him guide her down the hall more out of concern for those sleeping than that she would need any help.

"You couldn't stay somewhere like that. 'S not safe for a girl like you."

"And what sort of girl am I?"

Jon shrugged, feeling as unsteady as he had begun to look. "Tiny. And pretty."

"Well," Evie felt heat bloom in her cheeks. "I'm here, aren't I?"

"Good," he nodded firmly as he watched her unlock and enter her room. "Well, goodnight."

Evie nodded, a small grin fighting for residence on her lips. "Night, Jon."

 **A/N: So, thoughts? Ideas? Concerns?**


	6. Professional Finder of Things

**** Posting a special early chapter because a good friend of mine passed away this afternoon and I want something nice to look forward to. ****

 **If you get a moment, send up a good thought/vibe/prayer for my Buddhist, Lolita, Whovian, feminist friend.**

Evie was sipping coffee on her front porch as the night slowly bled into day. Up here in the mountains, surrounded by bristlecone pine, the sun was slower to make an appearance than down in the desert. The night hadn't been too cold, so she had only left the parlor stove in the loft to burn instead of lighting the big fireplace downstairs. Now, she stood and went inside to get ready for her regular Wednesday morning run.

She started by drinking her water and taking the multivitamin that had been her staple for the last seven years. The little beige bottle with the blue pills was left on the kitchen counter, her anxiety nowhere near bad enough lately to necessitate such action. Jogging lightly up the stairs, she stripped her clothes, folding them nicely before placing them in their designated hamper bag according to color group, and let her eyes trail over her body as she dressed.

Hanging out with the Shield men had had an interesting side effect. She was eating much better than she would on her own, paying more attention to protein intake during her trips on the road than she did at home. Eating better had led to better gym performance, so that she could see more definition in her arms and legs. Her waist had always been trim, though the lack of body fat wasn't something she had any real desire for, nor was it something of which she was particularly proud. She smiled at the ink decorating her body as she yanked on her sports bra and running leggings.

A stylized version of the solar system (including Pluto, thank you very much) covered the circular scars dotting her right side, the sun smiling out at her like something from an old map. A line of four 8-bit hearts sat between her third and fourth ribs on her left side, one heart simply an outline while the others were full of red. She had been contemplating adding a Deadpool tattoo on her left arm to mirror the Auryn on her right, but hadn't made an appointment with her favorite artist yet. Then, she had wanted to get the hash marks referring to The Silence for Doctor Who for a while now as well.

 _Too many things to choose from to feed an addiction!_

Evie grinned and pulled the t-shirt she had chosen down her torso, making sure that her back was covered. Sliding her arms into the sleeves of her new favorite sweatshirt – the soft black hoodie with "the Shield" written down the left side beside the zipper and the three headed dog on the back – Evie made sure she had her phone and key in her waistband before setting off at a comfortable pace. Even with the steep incline, Evie loved running. She could go as far and as fast as she wanted, and no one would stop her.

Four miles later, she reached a scenic overlook and paused to take a drink. February in the mountains was cold, and the inclines felt much more difficult to traverse. Just before she could begin her descent, her phone interrupted her playlist with an incoming call.

"Hey, Jon. What's up?"

"Hey, sorry to bother you on a day off, but we've got an issue."

Raising a brow, Evie began walking in the direction of home. "Okay?"

"Some of the guys came down with some sort of stomach thing, and they need us in to cover for them at the live events."

Evie sighed. "Okay, let me get home so I'm around my information. I'll call you back ASAP."

Agreeing, Jon hung up and Evie ran home with a new sense of purpose.

She put all three of the men on a conference call so she could iron out the details all at once. They insisted that she stay home, not wanting her to give up her days off just because they were being called in unexpectedly. Deciding to meet them in Denver for the last Raw before Elimination Chamber, Evie made their flight arrangements and hotel reservations before texting each of them with their individual details.

While Jon and Joe answered with a short 'okay' and a smiley, respectively, Colby's response was longer. _You're really awesome. We'll try to stay out of trouble until Denver._

 _I have a feeling,_ Evie answered. _That mischief is just something that happens when you three are together._

Colby sent a smile and a short message back: _Well, at least you're really good at managing it!_

Giggling, Evie shook her head and began the daily cleaning routine she had instituted as soon as she moved to her little mountain cabin. She was dry mopping the hardwood floors when something tingled at the back of her mind. Ignoring it, she began dusting the spotless shelves and then scrubbing down the kitchen counters. She was folding a load of laundry and making out lists for the coming road trip, including the new bag she would be carrying, when the thought tickled again and slowly solidified until she smiled.

"Mischief managed." She spoke the line from Harry Potter out loud and chuckled to herself before grabbing the phone. She had a great idea and needed to see if she could get it done while she was home.

"Yeah?" The voice was friendly but rough, as if the speaker had been smoking for twenty years.

"Victor? Hey, it's Evie McCallister." Glancing at the clock, Evie frowned. "Did I wake you?"

"Little Evie!" His voice brightened considerably, and he chuckled quietly. "Nah, you're fine. You need work done, honey?"

Evie nodded, though she knew he couldn't see it. "Three simple things, if you're up for it?"

"I don't open the shop until one. Come on in now, and I'll get you finished before lunch."

"You sure? I don't want to cause any issues."

Victor snorted. "I own the motherfucker, right?"

"Right."

"So, get your ass down off that mountain of yours. I'll see you in about an hour."

Laughing, she disconnected the call and went to dress.

She had become friends with Victor after coming to him for her very first tattoo her first year in college. He had taken one look at the scars on her right side, frowned darkly, and asked if the one responsible was dead. He had been forced to take prison time as punishment enough. Instead of showing her a bunch of flash work, he sat and spoke to her for an hour and then began drawing. Two weeks later, she walked out with the solar system down her side and a smile on her face. Since then, he had been the only one to ink her skin.

They were able to finish the simple additions to her body art and order in lunch before the rest of the artists began arriving for work. Evie sat and spoke with them for a while until clients began arriving. Then, she bid them farewell and spent the rest of the afternoon packing a special just-in-case bag and taking care of her new tattoos. She had come to love the smell of the A&D ointment.

By Sunday morning, the redness was completely gone, and she was able to admire her new decorations in their healed glory, since she hardly ever had to deal with scabs. 'Mischief Managed' was now scrolled along the outside top of her right foot, just above where most of her heels would fit in a beautiful calligraphy font. The hash marks denoting the number seven rested along the fine bone of her left wrist below her thumb while the round Deadpool symbol sat on the inside of her left wrist. Seeing them made her smile every time, and she wondered briefly what others would think.

She was stepping out of her car at the airport's long-term parking when her phone rang with a call from Joe. "Hey, I was just leaving. You guys in Denver?"

"Yeah, we're here." Joe sighed. "Too bad our bags can't say the same."

"Are you serious?"

"Unfortunately." Joe paused as Jon's voice could be heard in the background. "When are you getting here?"

"About three hours from now." Evie glanced at her own bags, hoping they all made it safely. "Look. Go ahead to the hotel and grab a nap. I'll be there as soon as I can and it'll be handled."

"Are you sure?"

"Sugar, this is _exactly_ my job."

Joe chuckled. "Is there any way you can talk to Jon? He's about to chew someone a new asshole, and I don't know how good that would be for his reputation."

"Put him on." Evie pulled the luggage cart to wait in line at the required desk and smiled when she heard Jon's exasperated voice. "Jon, honey, you need to calm down. I've got everything under control."

"How the hell is everything under control right now?! I just wanted to get to the damned hotel, catch a nap, get a workout in, and then get to the arena. I can't do shit now!"

"Jon," Evie injected as much stern command into her voice as she could. "I said I've got it. Have I ever failed you before?"

Jon sighed, having to concede her point. Even when he was being a royal asshole, Evie had been able to perform her duties perfectly. "No. You're fuckin' perfect."

Laughing outright, Evie shook her head. "Oh, I'm far from perfect, but I'm really good at my job. Just go to the hotel and get a nap. I'll be there in about three hours."

"Yeah," Jon felt somehow lighter now that he had spoken with her. "I'll see you later."

Hanging up, Evie was able to breeze through checking in. Security took a little longer than she would have liked, as the agents weren't aware that she didn't have to take her electronics out of her bag. God, she hated when people weren't proficient at their job. Finally through, she was able to board the plane ten minutes later.

Napping on an airplane was always difficult, but she managed with the help of earphones and a travel pillow. Catching a few winks while in the air allowed her to rest and served to make the trip pass more quickly. Two hours in the air felt much shorter when you were only awake and aware for takeoff and landing.

Arriving at the hotel in a taxi, Evie thanked the driver for helping her get her bags into the lobby. Before even checking in, she saw a group of wrestlers congregating in the plush seating area. Punk and April were sitting with Brock, Taylor Rotunda had somehow found his way into the mix, and Curtis could be seen adjusting a slouchy knit hat over his black hair. Colby's black hair with a blonde patch stood out among the others, and she soon saw Joe sitting in one of the chairs while Jon fidgeted in his seat on one of the couches.

Turning in their direction, she hauled the two large rolling cases behind her, her carry on strapped to the top of one while her purse was slung over her shoulder. "Hi guys!"

"Jesus!" Joe chuckled. "How much shit did you decide to bring for two days?"

"Actually," Evie drew out the word and rolled her eyes. "You'll be glad I brought so much, since only these two bags are mine."

Jon frowned. "Huh?"

Evie slipped a list from the outside pocket of the suitcase while the group of wrestlers looked on curiously. "Colby Lopez: Crossfit shirt, athletic shorts, knee socks, Reeboks in a size 12. Also, one A Day to Remember t-shirt, skinny jeans size 30/32, boxer briefs, and another pair of socks."

Flicking her eyes at the Samoan, she continued. "Joe Anoa'i: Under Armour fitted shirt, athletic shorts, ankle socks, black Nikes in size 14. Also, one Georgia Tech t-shirt in black, jeans size 34/32, boxer briefs, extra socks."

Giving a shift of her shoulders, she now focused on Jon. "Jon Good: Under Armour sleeveless compression shirt, athletic shorts, ankle socks, black Nikes in a 12. Also, one Delta Bombers t-shirt, jeans in 32/32, boxer briefs, extra pair of socks."

Jon blinked. "Are you fuckin' serious right now?"

Nodding, Evie handed the large case off to Joe, who was now standing beside her. "Yep. Just got everything for it the last few days and got it all packed last night."

"Jesus Christ," Curtis chuckled. "And you decided to drag all that around? Why?"

"It's my job." Evie shrugged. "Plus, lugging this makes days like today run a _lot_ easier."

Facing her men, Evie nodded at the bag. "Ya'll get changed and do your thing. I'll call the airport and raise hell until they locate your things and get them here. If you want what you're wearing washed just in case, hand them to me before you hit the gym."

While they headed up to their suite to change, Evie got checked in and then sent them a group text to let them know what room she was in so they could bring her their clothes. By the time they knocked on her door, she was knee deep in airport red tape bullshit, and not happy about any of it. Swinging the door open, she pointed to the bed and continued pacing as Jon, Colby, Joe, and a few others that had accompanied them in order to see what happened next curiously watched on.

"Look, either you let me talk to your supervisor, or I will own your job by tomorrow morning." Evie growled quietly and flicked her nails against each other. When a new voice greeted her, she attempted to harness some of her calm. "Yes, hello. I have three clients who arrived in Denver this morning from your airport with no checked luggage. As we travel a lot, I need to locate these items as quickly and efficiently as possible."

"Yes ma'am, I understand." The man on the phone sounded nervous.

"Good," Evie nodded. He _should_ be nervous. "Are you willing and able to help me with this, or do I need to just go ahead and ask for your superior now? Because I have neither the time _nor_ the patience to deal with any more incompetence this morning."

Clearing his throat, he obviously put some effort into sounding reassuring. "If you'll just give me their information, I will personally track down their belongings."

"That's good to hear," Evie nodded to the men and began to shoo them out of the room. "Because, if I have to travel there myself, you will not like me one bit. Of that, I can assure you."

Jon was outright laughing as the group of large men moved down the hall to the elevators. "That girl is awesome."

"Fuck yeah, she is!" Colby agreed.

Josh, Joe's cousin, laughed. "She's kinda scary, man!"

Joe nodded in return. "But at least she's on our side, right?"

While the men went on to their workouts, Evie hung up with the luggage supervisor and then loaded the clothes they wanted washed into a bag. Taking them down to the lobby, she located the concierge who was happy to take them off her hands. They would be delivered to her room before she would need to leave for the arena. Thankful that the next town was only two hours away by car, and that the employees at this hotel seemed to take pride in their work, Evie took one of her little blue pills and sank into bed for a nap.

Raw was half over when the airline called. They had located every piece of checked luggage and were sending it on the next flight, which would be leaving in three hours. She would need to arrive at the airport at 2:00 the next morning in order to collect it. Taking down the information, she sighed heavily. Driving to the airport in the middle of the night just to return to the hotel and then drive two hours to Colorado Springs the next day was exactly what she wanted to be doing. As there was nothing for it, she simply endeavored to be on time.

The men all went to bed early, exhausted from their day of anger and physical labor, and Evie avoided mentioning anything about going to the airport. She suspected that at least one of them would put up a fight about her going alone, and they needed as much rest as they could get. She was just glad to have everything in hand when she finally left the Denver airport at 4:00AM. Knowing they would want to get to the gym that morning before making the next town and taking another nap, Evie briefly wondered if she could sleep in the car.

The airport had sent a car and driver to pick her up and return her to the hotel, as the local airport manager knew who owned the now found bags and wanted to avoid as much negative publicity as possible. She had even managed to gain free tickets for the airline from Colorado Springs to their home cities on Wednesday morning along with one for herself as well. Finding an open Starbucks, she ordered a latte with a double shot of espresso and sipped it quietly as she enjoyed the rest of the ride.

Evelyn knocked on the door of the Shield's suite just after 8:00 that morning, three large rolling suitcases and two smaller bags positioned around her. When Colby answered the door, his loud laugh had the other two occupants stumbling, bleary-eyed, from their rooms. When he motioned to the bags, they couldn't help but join in.

"You are a miracle worker, Babygirl."

Evie shrugged. "Nope. I'm just really, really good at what I do."

Squeezing her arm softly, Jon quirked a smile. "Well, thank all that's good and holy for that."

Informing them of their now free tickets home the next day and when she would meet them in the lobby in order to get on the road, Evie left them to change and hit the gym.

She settled in for a two hour nap before jumping in the shower and braiding her hair in two plaits and coiling them into two buns at the base of her head behind her ears. Feeling a bit princess-y that morning, Evie pulled on a fitted "Hounds of Justice" tshirt along with a frothy peach tulle skirt and a pair of black heels. Changing her phone case for one featuring Cinderella's castle, she snapped the one stating "I'm 99% sure I'm a Disney Princess" onto her tablet. After a thorough search through her small room to make sure nothing was left behind, she rechecked her bags and headed down to the lobby to meet the others.

After spending the morning having his ass handed to him in a hardcore workout, Jon sighed as he sank into the overstuffed armchair in the hotel lobby. Chris Irvine had arrived the afternoon before to make a few appearances with the company, and the two were laughing at the behind the scenes story of Evie going off on the radio interviewer. Clips of that show, both the audio and video, had been circulated like wildfire online, and a few people had begun to call out to their assistant as she walked from her car to the arena or hotel.

Chris whistled quietly as his eyes tracked someone across the lobby, and Jon turned to see Evie all but floating across the carpeted floor. Her heels were high and black, making her legs seem to stretch forever. The Shield shirt combined with her pink skirt made her look like some kind of punk princess.

"That her?" Chris's voice called him away from his study of the girl.

Jon nodded and then stood and waved to get her attention. She was shaking hands with Chris, Joe and Colby arriving in the lobby as well, when he first saw the new tattoos. He must have been too wrapped up in his own head the day before to see the black marks and the red and black circle with eyes on her wrist.

"New ink?" He grinned lightly when she smiled up at him.

Evie turned her arm so the others could check it out. "Yeah, I've been wanting these two for a while now. I just went and got them because of something Colby said."

"What did I say?" Colby sat the large case Evie had given them the day before down next to her other bags.

"That I was really good at managing your mischief." Steadying herself on Jon's shoulder, she lifted her right foot so they could see the flowing black words. "Just couldn't pass up on getting a Potter tattoo."

Colby laughed along with the others before letting them know that he was going to ride with Claudio, the tall Swiss man having heard of a Crossfit gym he wanted to check out in Colorado Springs. It was decided that Chris would ride with Evie and the guys for the two hour trip, and she asked that they stop for coffee before leaving town. The short nap she'd gotten that morning would carry her through to the afternoon, but caffeine would help keep her sane until then.

O:O:O:O:O:

There were a lot of fans waiting around outside the arena that afternoon, and Chris went over to sign things and take pictures while the Shield members accompanied their assistant inside. Not a lot of people wanted pictures with the guys, though Evie knew that would change once they made the turn. She simply herded them all inside and went about her usual routine.

"Shit," Jon muttered while rifling through his bag. "God damn it!"

Evie frowned as she stepped into the room carrying their gear, their vests smacking against her thighs once again. "What's wrong?"

Colby answered with a smirk. "Can't find his phone charger."

Evie cocked a brow. "Don't be an ass."

"I could've swore I picked the damn thing up and put it in my bag!"

Evie shook her head. "It's okay. I'll run out to the car and grab mine if you need it. Pick you up a new one tomorrow morning."

"You don't mind?"

Evie snorted and shook her head before leaving the room. _When are these guys going to figure out that my job is to do nothing but help them?_

Stepping outside the arena, Evie shivered and cursed herself for forgetting her coat. She stepped lightly over the asphalt, reaching the SUV quickly. Reaching inside, she located her carry on and grabbed the charger. Slamming the trunk, she turned to head back, but stopped when she heard a faint, pained whimper.

Turning, she scanned the chain link fence bordering the area around the dumpsters. "Hello?"

The whimper came again, this time with a timid little barking whine. Leaving the charger on the car roof, Evie hurried to the side of the trash bins. There, his left front paw wedged through a hole between the fence panel and a post, was a small, dirty dog. He smelled worse than the trash piled in the dumpsters behind her, but Evie wasn't about to leave an animal in pain if she could help it. There had been plenty of times on the farm where she was told that no animal deserved to suffer, and she remembered well the fear of being helpless. Knowing what she had to do, the blonde lowered herself to sit next to the cowering animal.

"Shhh," she breathed. She slowly reached out a hand, letting him smell her as she looked him over. "You're all dirty, but you're a good puppy. Yes, a good, good puppy."

When he raised his head to lick her fingers, she could see a tag on the nearly black collar he wore. "Hey, pretty boy. Let's get you out of here, okay?"

"Evie!" The shout came from one of the fans pressed against the fence across the lot. "Is that a puppy?!"

Turning her head, she saw a chance to get some help. "Yeah, and he's stuck! Could someone wearing better shoes get around the back of the fence here? We should be able to work him free!"

The girl who had called out was already moving along the fence line, two friends coming with her. They scrambled over the weeds and debris littered there and finally came to rest across from Evie and the dog.

One girl, a tall redhead with a bit too much eyeliner, wrinkled her nose in distaste. "Wow, he reeks."

"Yeah," Evie nodded. "But he still needs help."

The first girl, a brunette with pretty brown eyes, smiled. "I can get my fingers in and pull the fence toward me. That should open it up a bit."

Evie nodded. "I'll hold him still and then try to work him free."

The girl's friends worked their fingers around the metal, helping to ease it toward them. Evie had to wrap her arms around the squirming animal to keep him still, getting mud and who knows what else all over her shirt and skirt. Keeping his leg in her grasp, she slowly inched it free of its prison.

"Got it!" Evie sat back and tried to keep the puppy's tongue from reaching her face as he showed his gratitude for finally being free. "Do either of you have a phone? Mine is still inside, and he's got a collar."

"I do!" The brunette rose to pull a beat up phone from her back pocket.

The four of them moved back along the fence until they were once again at the front of the lot. Evie had to rub at the tag until they could make out the name "Rusty" above a number to call. The girl called, explaining where they were with ease, and the worried owners arrived fifteen minutes later with a very happy little boy.

By the time Evie retrieved the promised cell phone charger a few more wrestlers had arrived and exited their cars. Stephen and Stu were standing next to their vehicle, waiting for her to step away from the crowd, and accompanied her back into the building. They had taken a few steps when they were confronted by the Shield, all of whom had grown worried when it took her so long to return.

"The hell happened to you?" Jon frowned. She was covered in dirt, sweat, and what smelled like a combination of rotten food and wet dog.

"She helped a puppy!" Danielle's voice called from across the hall before Evie could respond. "It's all over twitter!"

Skipping across the open area, she showed them all the photos that were being posted. A few showed Evie going to the car, but the rest showed the following events in full color. She couldn't help but smile at the ones of her being licked by the now happy dog.

"Oh, is _that_ why you smell so bad?" Renee stepped forward, her saccharine sweet voice in contrast to the cold glint in her eyes. "I just thought it was a new perfume."

Jon's head jerked so sharply in her direction that his neck cracked. _What the fuck is her problem? She didn't act like this the other night._ Jon was at once immensely happy that he hadn't slept with the blonde interviewer and angry with himself for not seeing how mean she could be.

Evie simply rolled her eyes and ignored the other woman. "I grabbed the charger you needed. Think I'll head on back to the hotel to shower and change, unless you need me for something else tonight?"

"No, we got this." Roman winked before sighing dramatically. "We managed before you, and I guess we can slum it and do our own shit work for one night."

"C'mon," Dani grinned. "Let's go grab your things and then I'll give you a ride back to the hotel. I don't have to be here for a while, anyway."

Nodding, Evie agreed and the men all turned to follow the pair. Jon, however, focused his bright blue eyes on Renee's smirking face.

"Don't ever talk to her like that again, and lose my number."

Renee gasped and tried to grasp his arm. "But, Jon –"

"No," he cut her off sharply. "I've got no time for petty, fake-ass people."

Without waiting for a response, he strode back down the hall after his friends and the beautiful girl he was starting to realize could steal his heart.


	7. Cracks in the Armor

**_Thank you so much for the reviews and kind words._**

 ** _** TRIGGER WARNING**  
_There's a scene midway through that may be triggering for some, though it's nothing too horrid. Just wanted to let you know in case that sort of thing bothers you.  
**

 _Jon's hurt! Ohgodohgodohgod!_ Evie pushed out of the locker room and rushed down the hall as fast as she could, avoiding the techs and other employees as much as possible and shouting apologies to those she couldn't, glad that she had opted for flat riding boots instead of heels. She had known that the match had the potential to be brutal, as any featuring the Wyatts and the Shield could be, and had even told herself not to freak out if there were some blood spilled. Having Jon disappear from ringside only to get a call from the medical team minutes later had not been in the plan, however, and Evie was worried.

Reaching the medical area, Evie forced herself to move slowly and speak easily. "Couldn't resist getting all bloody, could you?"

Jon was sitting on the table, the company doctor in the process of stapling his scalp back together. "Well, you know. Old habits are hard to break."

Evie shook her head in exasperation and waited for Jon to be deemed fit for travel.

He found himself unable to sit still, and keeping his head stationary felt like a Titanic effort. The whole time he sat on the bench, his legs twitched and jumped. He could hear the reaction from the crowd and hated not being out there with Colby and Joe taking part in the match. Paul had stopped in, assuring him that his being absent worked perfectly with the storyline, but Jon couldn't help how he felt. And at the moment, that was jealous and antsy.

As the medic finished, Jon drummed his fingers on his knees and tilted his head back to rest his neck. His eyes came to rest on Evie standing across the room, and he suddenly didn't feel the need to fidget. She was there, and she would handle any people that needed to be spoken to. Joe and Colby were capable of taking care of things in the ring, and Evie was in the room with him, so there was no one and nothing for him to worry about.

Evie looped her arm through his elbow as they left the trainer's room, giving him the illusion that she wasn't watching his every step for unsteadiness. Though he had not shown any signs of concussion, Evie wanted to be sure before she trusted him to walk on his own or fall asleep without someone to wake him hourly. She let him go through the door to the locker room first, watching him slump down on one of the benches before going to retrieve his street clothes.

The shirt he wore was ruined, so Evie used a small pair of scissors to cut it from neck to hem. She thought it best to keep from pulling such a tight garment over his head, so as to avoid aggravating the staples hidden in his hairline. The sight of his skin, smooth and hairless over defined muscles, stole her breath and sent her heart racing.

Clearing her throat, she helped him slide the black material down his arms. "You're not jumpy anymore. Still feelin' okay?"

"I don't know," he rasped before clearing his throat. "You just have a very calmin' face."

"I do?" Evie giggled and held the neck of his shirt open so he could get it on easier.

"Yeah, you do." Jon shrugged. "These last few weeks, whenever I'm getting all tied in knots and ready to scream, you show up and, poof, it's all gone."

"Huh," Evie wasn't sure how to respond to that, though she felt somehow lighter at the knowledge.

Joe and Colby soon arrived with Windham, still in his Bray Wyatt gear and fairly dripping with sweat, following close behind.

"Are you okay, Jon?" Windham's voice was lighter than the one he used in the ring, the accent not as prominent.

Jon nodded, grinning a bit as he tilted his head down so they could see the little metal bits threaded through his skin. "I'm good. Don't worry about it, man. Shit happens."

Evie left the room to let them get changed, coming in to collect the ring gear that needed to be returned to Miss Sandra and then returning to help the men with their bags. They would be staying at the hotel for the night and then heading to Green Bay the next day for Raw, and Evie wanted them in and settled as quickly as possible.

"C'mon, guys." Evie smiled as Joe took over watching Jon walk. "Let's get back to the hotel so you can get some sleep. We've got a five hour drive ahead of us in the morning."

They all needed as much rest as they could get. With each member of the roster that fell to a stomach bug, more and more men were being looked to in order to fill time at live events. It was only a matter of time before Jon, Joe, and Colby were counted among their number, and Evie wanted them as physically capable as imaginable.

An hour later, Evie had helped get the men's various aches and pains iced and settled them into bed. Joe had introduced her to his fiancée over speaker, and Galina had asked her a lot of questions while she wrapped his knee with an ice pack and made sure he had a pitcher of ice water on his night stand. Colby had whined and pouted until she rubbed his shoulder and arm before setting up another plastic pitcher in case he became thirsty in the night. Jon had sighed as she pressed ice to his staples and asked if she would stay.

"Just 'til I get to sleep?"

Evie frowned. "Why? Are you having trouble sleeping?"

"No." Jon shrugged, not wanting to be too obvious. "Just like the company."

Evie giggled and climbed up on the bed next to his shoulder. "So, what're we watching?"

" _Finding Bigfoot_." Jon shrugged with a grin. "That cool?"

"Yeah, okay."

Getting comfortable, Evie began running her fingers through his now clean curls. She scratched her nails over his scalp, being careful to avoid his wound and smiling to herself at his soft moan. The show was half over when his head slumped over on her thigh, his soft snores filling the room. Wiggling out of bed, she made sure the other two were comfortable – Colby was sleeping while Joe was still talking with Galina – before slipping out of the suite.

Stopping by her room and pulling on her workout gear, a t-shirt and leggings, she made sure she had her room key and phone before heading down to the gym, using the elevator at the far end of the hall that would open directly beside the gym. Seeing that the large room was vacant, Evie started out on the treadmill at a comfortable pace before upping the speed. She planned to put in a few miles before switching to the free weights and really pushing herself.

It wasn't until she was halfway through her miles that she felt a presence in the room behind her. She looked into the mirror and saw a man reading the instructions on the side of one of the machines. He was thin, with wide shoulders and a strong jawline. His dark hair brushed the bottom of his ears and obscured his face as he read. Going back to her workout, she endeavored to put him out of her mind.

When she again slowed to a light jog, the man stepped up onto the machine next to hers. A glance in his direction proved that he was fiddling with the treadmill controls. Deciding that he was obviously just trying to get a workout in just like she was, Evie let her mind wander as she sipped some water and lowered the speed so that she was again walking easily.

"Excuse me," the man's voice was gritty, but not at all unpleasant.

Evie had just finished with her machine and stepped off. Turning, she smiled kindly. "Yes?"

"Um, I was wondering if you could help me a second?" Gesturing to the blinking display, he frowned. "I'm new to this whole working out thing, and I have no clue what to do with this stuff."

"No problem," Evie stepped up next to the machine and showed him where to put in his height, weight, sex, and then select the kind of automatic course he wanted. "Well, unless you just want to take it slow and stay level."

"No, no." He smiled now, his teeth perfectly straight and very white. "This is good. Thank you. I was hoping you would help. I'm always too embarrassed to ask some huge dude to help me out with something like this."

Evie nodded. "Maybe you should join a gym in your hometown. Get a trainer for a few sessions to show you how to work things and proper weight forms."

"That's a great idea." He smiled again, this one much softer than the last and not feeling as rushed. "I'm Jason, by the way."

"Evelyn," she answered in return.

Turning to the weights, she never saw the blow coming.

There was a sharp pain across her neck and shoulder, pulling a cry from her lips and an instinctive step away. Before she could take another, a hand in her hair wrenched her head back sharply, causing her to stumble and fall back against a well-built chest. A thin, strong arm wrapped around her chest, crushing her to him and robbing her of breath. Jason, if that was in fact his name, chuckled quietly at her involuntary gasp.

Evie panicked, unable to think of what she should do for valuable seconds until she felt herself being dragged away from the door to the hallway and toward one marked "employees only". Bringing her hands up to his forearm, she sank her nails into the skin there. When he barely flinched, she bore down and attempted to dig as much flesh and muscle away from the bone as she could.

"Fucking _bitch_!" He dropped his now bleeding arm and grabbed her ponytail with his free hand, jerking her around and slapping her across the face.

Evie didn't bother wasting time or strength on speaking. Instead, she spit in his face. As he flinched, she grabbed a five pound weight someone had left on the seat of the leg extension machine and swung it at him. Jason tried to avoid the iron plate, and was half successful, as she managed to clip his nose before he fell into the mirror, cracking it badly.

He rebounded quickly, grasping her by the shoulders and shoving her back against the wall. His right hand dropped to her breast, squeezing her harshly. Squeaking in protest, she brought her knee up sharply, striking him squarely between the legs. He gave a gasp of pain and dropped to the floor.

Evie was out the door, sprinting toward the elevators at the end of the hall before he could shake off the confusion and pain and scramble up. Hitting the button on the elevator for the 4th floor, she ducked into the stairwell. Sprinting up the six flights of stairs needed to reach her floor seemed daunting, so she stopped on the 2nd and jogged down the hall to the other bank of elevators. When a familiar tall redhead and brunette stepped out of a room accompanied by April and Punk, the fear and confusion suddenly welled up and ripped her under in a tidal wave of tears.

O:O:O:O:O:

A pounding on the suite door drew Jon out of his peaceful slumber, and he growled as he pulled himself from the bed. He could hear Colby groaning as he did the same. It was Joe's shout of surprise and anger that had Jon rushing for the door, his own discomfort forgotten. He and Colby nearly collided, rolling away from each other at the last minute. When he stepped into the living room area, the sight stopped him in his tracks.

Phil "CM Punk" Brooks was holding a sobbing Evie, her beautiful blonde hair in a tangled disarray and a spot on her lower lip already cracked and swelling.

AJ looked over at Jon and Colby, a frown on her pretty face. "Jon, someone hit her."

At the sound of his name, Evie pulled her face from Punk's neck and threw her arms out to the other man.

"Ran into her downstairs. Said some asshole attacked her in the gym. Stephen and Stu went to look for him and call the cops." Punk explained as he stepped across the room to hand her over.

Jon scooped her up and sank down onto the couch. "C'mon Princess. You need to tell us what happened."

Evie accepted a bottle of water from Joe and took a small sip, wincing as the plastic brushed her sore lip, before she related the occurrences of the night.

When she got to the part about going to the gym, Colby gently interrupted. "So, you went to the gym alone at this time of night?"

April frowned. "Don't make this her fault. It's men who should be taught not to hurt women, not women who need to be told not to get hurt."

Conceding her point, Colby apologized. "Sorry, honey."

Evie nodded, not really tracking the conversation. "He was small. I mean, smaller than y'all are, and he just seemed okay. I was done with the treadmill, and wanted to work on some weights, and he just came and hit me from behind and tried to . . . to. . ."

She couldn't breathe.

Her heart was beating so hard she could feel it smacking against her chest. Her fingers began to lose feeling, and she suddenly couldn't feel her feet. Sounds became muffled, as if coming at her from all directions but through a thick layer of cotton. She was warm; so warm that she was sweating. Evie wanted to run, to get away from the thing that was scaring her, but there were arms wrapped around her shoulder and waist, pinning her against a too-warm body.

A man's body.

Without warning, Evie struggled, squeaking when she hit the floor and scrambling into a corner, her eyes wide and glazed as they flew around the room.

"What the fuck?" Jon had felt bad about dropping her, but she hadn't given him a chance to put her down gracefully or gently. "Princess?"

He had stood to go to her, but April blocked his path. "No, don't!"

"What? Why the fuck not?"

Shaking her head, the tiny Puerto Rican frowned. "I think she's having a panic attack. If she wanted touched, she wouldn't have put herself in a corner."

"Evie? Can you hear me, honey?" Sinking down onto her knees in front of the blonde, April curled her legs up so she looked almost impossibly small. When she got no response, she frowned and raised her voice. "Evelyn!"

Evie managed to focus on the dark eyes of the woman in front of her. She gave a slight nod, which felt almost impossible with how tense her jaw was against the threatening scream.

"Honey, has this happened before?"

Another nod.

"Do you have medication for it?"

Nod.

"In your room?"

Nod.

"Okay, do the guys have a copy of your room key?" She didn't have to answer, since Joe did for her and ran to grab it from its spot on top of the television. "Okay, I'm going to send Phil down for it, okay? In your purse?"

When Evie managed another nod, Phil took off. The rest of the occupants were forced to sit and wait while they watched Evie shake and wrap her arms around her own knees as if to ward off some invisible foe. Phil returned impossibly fast, his breathing indicating that he hadn't bothered to wait on the elevator.

"I just grabbed her whole bag." He handed it to his girlfriend.

April raised a brow at how organized each compartment was, but quickly found the small cylindrical bottle with the safety cap. Opening it, she saw a combination of whole and half pills. Choosing a half dose, she held it out to Evie along with the water.

Forcing her arms to move, Evie managed to swallow the medication with only a little water running down her chin and chest. Ten minutes later, she could feel her hands and feet again, and her arms were no longer locked around her knees. Taking a deep breath, she couldn't fight the yawn that forced its way out of her mouth.

"Sorry," Evie mumbled. "Didn't mean to freak out like that."

Jon shook his head. "Don't apologize, okay? We're all just happy you're okay."

Evie managed a watery smile for April. "You got him trained."

April giggled and nodded. "He got in my purse _once_ , and I threw an epic bitch fit."

"She was scary as hell," Punk chuckled from his spot behind his girlfriend. "I haven't even touched the thing since."

Putting a hand up to Jon, she let him slowly help her to her feet. "Did anyone call the cops? I'd like to stop this asshole from going after anyone else."

A knock at the door interrupted her next yawn, and she sighed when it was opened to reveal two police officers, a man and a woman. They let it be known that a detective was downstairs getting the recordings of the lobby, lower hall, and gym areas. Evie sighed, knowing it was going to be a very long night.

 **I went with an honest portrayal of what a panic attack can be like for me. There are different levels, and they don't affect everyone the same way. Thoughts about what happened? Ideas of things to come? Dirty thoughts about a shirtless Jon?**


	8. Down with the Sickness

****Decided to post this today and will have another chapter up on Friday****

 **Thanks so much for the reviews and for the kind words.**

The Shield had been on the road almost nonstop since Elimination Chamber, with few days off, and those were spent sleeping or doing laundry more than anything else. Evie had traveled with them, making sure they had enough to eat, a hotel to crash in at the end of the night, and even washing their clothes if it became necessary, which Galina (to whom Evie placed a call when informed that Roman was allergic to certain fabric softeners) found both hilarious and helpful, as it cut down on the amount of work she had to do when Roman got home. The mornings were filled with trips to the gym, while making towns was reserved for the afternoon or night. One of the guys generally drove if the sun were up, letting Evie nap quietly in the back seat, and she drove them through the night.

Evie had begun to visit the gym with them a few days a week instead of going by herself (since the man who had attacked her had never been found), and the men were more than happy to show her different lifts or to spot her when she wanted to up her weights. After hearing what happened to her, Jon had all but insisted that she never be alone again, though she had flat-out refused to share a suite with the men. It was Joe's argument that they would be able to help her lift heavier that convinced her to simply workout with them instead of waiting until the late hours of the night.

"Okay, luv," Stu had pulled Evie to the side the first day he'd been at the gym with them. "Show me a punch."

When she had simply frowned up at him, he sighed and explained.

"We want to make sure you're safe, and we need to know what you can do so we know where to start."

Evie quirked a brow. "Who's 'we'?"

Stu chuckled. "Ste, your boys, and I mostly. Punk and Orton have offered to help if we need it."

Evie had sighed, but saw their concern as being sweet. Giving herself over to Stu's teaching, she was soon able to throw quite a few different individual punches and execute combinations. She wasn't nearly as fast as Stu would like, and she tended to leave her left side open to attack, but she was better off knowing something rather than the nothing at all she had before. Punk showed her a few grappling moves meant to incapacitate an attacker, allowing her to run away.

It was after one of her sessions with the Chicago native that Jon simply walked up behind her, wrapped an arm around her waist and carried her – kicking and screaming – from the room.

"What the hell, Jon?!" She was angry enough to spit nails as he placed her on her feet.

Jon shook his head. "Those two have taught you how to do a few useful things, but a lot of it is shit."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it's not like some douchebag is going to stand toe-to-toe with you and slug it out, or let you grapple him to the ground. Not if he can just get behind you and carry you away. You're _tiny_ , Princess, and you need to learn how to fight. And I mean _really_ fight. Street style."

"And who's going to teach me how to do that?"

The smirk on his face and the roll of his shoulders was all cocky self-assurance. "Who better to teach you how to street fight than a certified street dog?"

"Jon," Evie smiled and shook her head. "You're not that guy anymore."

"Princess," he gave her a lopsided grin in return. "I'll _never_ not be that guy."

With a giggle and a nod, Evelyn had committed herself to his tutelage. In the two weeks since Elimination Chamber, she had learned a great deal about men and how to handle when one attacked her. She now knew how to drop her weight and throw an assailant, and how to kick, bite, and claw her way to freedom.

"You have ta fight dirty, Princess." Jon had told her one cold morning while shaking his head and sucking on his third cigarette of the day. He was trying to convince her to let him show her some moves with found objects. "These assholes aren't fighting to a bell or 'til some ref says 'stop'. You gotta learn to fight down and dirty, just like them."

Now, Evie sat in the lobby of Hotel Ella in Austin, Texas, at 9AM on a Saturday morning gazing up at a Colby Lopez who was obviously lying to her. "There is no way in hell you are feelin' well enough to go to the gym!"

"I'm good. Just a little off this morning." His hair was fuzzed out in all directions despite the ponytail he had it in. His eyes were glassy, and he rubbed reflexively at his stomach and chest as he shifted his weight. "Just need to get some water."

"What you _need_ to get is some rest." Evie snorted, shaking her head and gathering her things off the table before grasping his elbow and steering him to the elevator. "Colby, honey, you look like a ferret who gave up on himself six months ago!"

He didn't answer, choosing to lean against the wall of the elevator car as they traveled back up to the suite the men had shared the night before.

Swinging the door open, Evie directed Colby to the couch just as Jon bolted from his room and sprinted to the bathroom. With a sigh, Evie called Steph and let her know that the Shield boys were unable to make the live events that weekend. Assuring the older woman that she would call with an update by Sunday afternoon in case changes needed to be made, she hung up and went to check on the only one she hadn't seen yet.

Joe was curled on his side, his massive arms wrapped around a pillow held to his chest. His long hair was slick with sweat. Shaking her head, Evie went to the kitchenette off the main room, wetting two cloths and handing one to Colby as she passed. Pressing the other to Joe's forehead, she patted his shoulder and went to check on Jon.

"Oh, this sucks." Jon muttered to himself as he finally finished dry heaving. Looking up, he saw Evie standing in the door. "You don't wanna be in here, Princess. Things could get . . . messy."

Smiling softly, she helped him to his feet and let him clean up before wetting another cloth and leading him into his room. "C'mon Mr. J. Time for some rest."

Jon chuckled and then closed his eyes in exhaustion.

Forcing Colby back to his room proved fruitless, so Evie let him stretch out on one of the couches in the living room while she called the front desk to arrange for them to keep the rooms and worked at the table, listening to him flip channels listlessly. Calling down to the front desk, she obtained some disposable garbage containers from the very sweet concierge that she set up next to each man's resting place. It would cut down on running to the bathroom. Bottles of ginger ale and boxes of crackers were also delivered, and each man was given a glass of the cool soda to sip.

Evie took the opportunity to finish the knitted hat she had been working on for the past week. It was striped in the colors of the Avengers, a symbol for each in the coordinating strip. She planned on giving it to April as a thank you for her help during Evie's panic attack. One of the advantages to not sleeping a great deal was having more time for things like knitting.

The rest of Saturday was spent running from one man to another, delivering fresh soda and replacing the garbage bags as needed. Joe needed cool damp cloths replaced on his forehead every half an hour. Colby hated having to shift more than a few inches to pick up a cup or grab the remote. Jon demanded that the air conditioning in his room be turned up and then down nearly every hour until Evie set it at 72 degrees and told him to either cover up or not, but that she was done with the thermostat.

While Colby was finally willing to go to bed late Saturday night, Jon soon replaced him on the couch. Evie simply sighed, continuing to check on the other two every hour unless they needed something sooner. Jon slept well, one arm thrown over his eyes and his legs akimbo over the end of the cushions. Joe and Colby were both up and down throughout the dark hours, and Evie was there to tie their hair back from their faces when it came free or to rub their back soothingly when there was nothing in their stomachs to bring up.

The sun was just peeking over the eastern horizon when Evie curled into the chair she had commandeered for the night, hoping to get a few hours of sleep. Her eyes felt like sandpaper had been taped to the inside of her lids, they were so dry and scratchy. Her arms and legs ached from the extra movement, while she couldn't fight back the yawns. Laying her head to the side, she sighed and let herself drift.

"Shit," Jon woke with a start. Instinctively, he rushed for the bathroom, barely hitting his knees before the small amount of ginger ale and crackers in his system came back up.

Forcing her eyes open once again with a groan, Evie drug herself from the chair and followed him. Wetting a cloth, she mollified him quietly and drew him away from the bowl when it became obvious that there was nothing left in him. As he leaned back against the tub, she wiped his face and hummed comfortingly, the way Annette used to when she had a bad dream.

"Fuckin' hate bein' sick."

Evie smiled softly in understanding. "Well, this shouldn't last long."

"S'posed to turn face on Monday night."

Nodding, she helped him to his feet and waited while he rinsed his mouth. "And you'll be fine by then. You've got all day tomorrow, then the night, and you can rest on Monday before the show."

"Couple hours to San Antonio." He grunted, not happy with the way she was hovering to make sure he got settled. No one had ever looked after him when he was sick before, why the hell should someone start doing it now?

"I got it covered, so don't worry." Evie pulled the soft sheet up over his legs and made sure he had all snacks and drinks readily available before curling up in the chair once again. When Jon began tossing and turning on the deep couch, she reached her hand out and rubbed his scalp. "It's okay, Sug. I'm here. Go on to sleep now."

Something about the way Evie called him sweet names soothed him in a way he had never felt before. All afternoon, when he was awake for it, he had listened to Joe and Colby fussing or asking her for various things. Colby had told her that she reminded him of his mom, while Joe had said something along those lines as well. It was times like this that Jon truly understood what sorts of things his childhood had lacked.

His mother was too busy either out scoring drugs or doing the things that allowed her to afford the next hit. If he got sick, he was left to either take care of himself or forced to go to school so as to avoid her or her boyfriends. There had been more than one occasion where some 'friend' of his mother had yanked him out of his room and he had felt bad enough to become ill on them. Lying there in the soft hotel bed that afternoon, Jon had wondered if the others understood how lucky they had been as children, and how fortunate they all were now to have this amazing girl to take care of them.

Evie managed to get a few hours of sleep as the men's bodies fought off the stomach bug, but she was awake by 10:00. Checking on her three charges, she replaced dry cloths with new wetted ones and made sure glasses had ice and new ginger ale. Jon had kicked the sheet off his legs, so she replaced it gently before searching the kitchenette for supplies.

Seeing that she had quite a few pans and bowls, Evie smiled. Dialing the front desk from the phone in Jon's abandoned bedroom, she asked if there was any way she could get groceries delivered. Being told that this was entirely possible, Evie placed an order.

An hour later, two bellhops arrived along with the concierge, the suave older man making sure that everything was to her liking. Assuring him that all was well, Evie thanked him for the help and got to work.

Nothing helped recovering stomachs like chicken soup. Carrots and celery were cooked well in just a bit of oil before chicken was added. Putting the pot on the stove to slowly cook, she seasoned it with salt and pepper before adding some parsley and basil. The frozen egg noodles she would add later weren't her first choice, but she had neither the room nor the energy to make her own.

Jon slowly blinked, the smell of something light and delicious stirring him awake. "Princess?"

"Right here, sweetie." Evie rose from her spot at the table, stepping into his line of sight. "Do you need something?"

"Time is it?"

"Almost noon. How're you feeling?" She pressed her cool hand to his forehead, relieved to feel no discernable fever.

Yawning, he slowly sat up. "Achey and tired as shit."

"Well, go take a nice hot shower. I'll get the soup finished for when you get out."

The last bit caught him by surprise, so that he nearly stumbled in his journey to his bedroom to collect clothes. "You're actually making soup? Like, from scratch?"

Shrugging, Evie grinned. "We had access to a kitchen. Why not make something that'll help y'all feel better?"

Jon had been in the shower for a few minutes when Joe stepped out of his room. His hair was greasy and limp, the curls all but eradicated. He was blinking and yawning, slowly moving to retrieve a bottle of water from the small fridge.

"Feeling any better?" Evie was standing at the counter, mixing together some dough for drop biscuits.

Joe nodded and lifted the lid on the nearly boiling pot. "This smells really good."

"I was hoping the three of you would be up for something light this afternoon."

"Colby in the shower?"

Jon stepping out of the bathroom interrupted her response. "Shower's open."

"Cool," Joe smiled at his friend. "Help at all?"

"Hell yeah!" Jon nodded, still drying his hair. "Feel almost human."

Joe took his turn in the shower, and Evie was placing biscuits in the small oven as Colby finally emerged from his room. He carried his shower supplies with him, setting them on the corner of the counter before wrapping his arms around Evie's shoulders. Confused, Evie hugged him back silently.

"Sorry for being such a little bitch."

Evie stepped away from him before laughing boisterously. "Okay?"

"I know I suck to be around when I'm sick. My mom always complained."

Evie smiled and patted his cheek fondly, feeling rather like a mother hen. "Well, you're definitely the worst of the three of you."

When Colby replaced Joe in the shower and the big Samoan went to his room to check in with Galina before trying some lunch, Jon focused on Evie.

"Why does _he_ get a hug?"

Evie looked up from where she was slicing and buttering the drop biscuits she had just taken from the oven. "Huh?"

"You gave Colby a hug, but not me." Jon knew he was pouting, but he really wanted her small, strong arms wrapped around him the same way he had seen them wrapped around his friend.

Stepping around the island counter, Evie wiped her hands on a towel before sliding her arms around his neck. This hug felt very different than the one she had given the other man, with Jon's arms wrapping around her waist firmly and his ear pressed to her chest to hear he strong heartbeat. One of his large hands pressed against her hip while the other spanned the distance between her shoulder blades.

Pulling away from him, she smiled softly. "Better?"

"Yeah," Jon rasped and just barely resisted the urge to growl as she stepped away and went back to buttering the fluffy white biscuits and putting them onto a plate.

By the time Joe was finished on the phone and Colby was out of the bathroom, Evie was ladling soup into bowls. She waved the guys into the living room area, settling them in with soup and a plate of biscuits on the coffee table in front of the couch. Jon groaned as the warm broth touched his tongue and slid down to his empty stomach. From the sounds of the other men, they were having the same reaction.

Evie ate her lunch at the kitchen island counter, her chin resting on her hand as she chewed. It slowly became more and more difficult to lift her spoon, until she finally left it lying on the countertop. A moment later her eyes slid closed and refused to open. Slumping forward, she rested her head on her folded arms and let the sounds of the men behind her and the softly playing television lull her to sleep.

 ****Thoughts on a hotel suite full of sick men? Is Evie being a good den mother?**

"This is really good," Joe had stood to get more soup, but stopped as he saw Evie slumped over beside her own bowl. "Uh, guys."

Jon and Colby both chuckled as they joined him at the counter. Without giving it much thought, Jon slid an arm under her knees and the other around her back. Pulling the tiny blonde into his chest, he jerked his head toward his door, waiting for Colby to open it for him. Laying Evie down in the bed, he slid the blankets over her legs and tried to ignore how right if felt to see her snuggling into something that smelled like him.


	9. At Least the Scenery Is Nice?

***Special thanks goes out to all my new readers and _most importantly_ my new reviewers! I love you people!***

Monday Night Raw was being held in San Antonio, Texas, that week. With the men fully recovered, they left Austin early that morning so that they would be able to get an intense gym session in as well as a nap before checking in to the arena. Evie had attended an on-site yoga class and then ran on the treadmill for a few miles as the men finished up their own routines.

Now, she slogged across the puddle that was the parking area for the AT&T Center arena. Evie, as always, had been meticulous in her weather research, and had packed accordingly. Her knee high rubber boots were black with wide white bows tied prettily in the back while the sweater dress she wore brushed her thighs lightly with each step. The umbrella was pink with a pretty bow design repeated on each panel. The bag she had slung over her shoulder contained a hank of yarn, needles, her iPad and phone. The tray in her hand held coffee for her and the boys.

"Evie!" The voice was high and clear, the speaker behind the barricade a tall blonde girl with a bright smile. "How are you today?!"

Evie, still a little nonplussed that fans recognized her and knew her name, smiled and waved with the pinky of the hand wrapped around her umbrella handle as she walked. "I'm good. Y'all need to get somewhere dry for a bit."

"We're gonna go get lunch after everyone gets here!"

Nodding, Evie smiled again and thanked the security guard holding the door for her.

"Hey guys!" Evie shouldered open the door to the locker room and stopped in her tracks.

Jon, Joe, and Colby were already in their ring gear, standing in front of a wide full length mirror at the end of the room. Colby's head was held high, tilted a bit to confer his cocky attitude. Jon and Joe were standing next to each other, their heads dropped menacingly. It was the half masks covering the bottoms of their faces, the teeth and jaws of a skull snarling out from the black material, that drew her up short.

Colby waved happily, the action completely at odds with his current appearance. "Hey, Evie! You like? We're thinking of wearing them for our Wrestlemania entrance."

Evie knew he was speaking to her, but the words just sort of filtered around her head. Jon's hair, shaggy and curling a bit in his eyes, called to her and she wanted desperately to run her fingers through the messy locks. Her mouth was arid, and she worked to swallow the lump that was suddenly in her throat.

"Uh . . ." Evie blinked and nodded quickly. "Yeah. Very cool."

Joe chuckled. "You okay, Babygirl?"

"Yeah," she forced her eyes away from Jon to look at Joe. "I'm good."

Jon grinned, enjoying the way Evie seemed to be looking at him. "You sure?"

"Uh huh, I'm sure. I brought y'all coffee."

"Sweet!" Colby crowed, removing his mask and coming for his. "I could use some of this before we have to shoot our promo."

The guys agreed, and Evie was sent to return the masks to Sandra while they went over what they were supposed to cover once the cameras started rolling. The girls in wardrobe were happy to hear that their wardrobe changes were being met with favorable reactions. Evie stood to chat for a few minutes before leaving to return to the locker room.

She was nearly to the room when she overheard voices coming from the side hall where hair and makeup stations were set up.

"Oh my God, you're totally lying." Danielle's voice held contempt as she scoffed at someone Evie couldn't see around the corner.

"I am not!" Renee's voice came then, sticky sweet with denial. "Jon is such an amazing man and a great lover!"

Evie snorted quietly. Who did the fake blonde think she was fooling? Deciding that nothing good would come of confronting Renee, Evie resolved to speak to Jon about the sorts of things that were being said. It was his private business, after all, and Evie didn't feel comfortable discussing such things in public.

"Hi, Evie!" Danielle smiled and waved as Evie crossed the hall. Hurrying up to her, she whispered softly. "Please give me something else to do, or I'm going to lose my job smacking this bitch."

"Hello, Evelyn!" Renee's voice was sunshine bright with counterfeit friendliness. "How was your weekend?"

Resolving to be polite, Evie shrugged. "It had its good and bad moments."

"Oh, sorry. Guess they all can't be as amazing as my own," she pouted prettily.

Half listening, Evie sighed. "Guess not."

Having no desire to hear any more about the woman's private life, Evie turned to continue walking.

"Jon is just so _great_!" Renee's voice seemed to have taken on an echo. "We spent all weekend together in Houston, though we didn't take in too much of the city, if you know what I mean."

"You're lyin'." Evie hadn't meant to turn around, honestly could not recall actually spinning to face the other women, but she _had_ turned, and was now stomping down the hall to confront her face to face.

"Uh, I think I should know who was pumping away between my thighs for nearly two days straight!"

Evie snorted. "Well, I would like to think you at least kept your legs closed long enough to get a name, but it wasn't Jon's."

Renee stood from the artist's stool and struck out at Evie, catching her across the cheek with a sharp slap.

"That's all I needed," Evie grasped Renee's shoulders and shoved.

The Shield had just finished filming their promo and were walking along the back hall when they heard a commotion and saw a small crowd gathered around the entrance to the hall next to their locker room. Glancing at each other with raised brows, they shrugged and worked their way through the various stagehands and staff until they were near the front. Curtis moved to the side so they could clearly see as Renee hauled off and slapped Evie squarely across the cheek, leaving an angry red print behind.

Before anyone could react, Evie quirked a sardonic smile and shoved the taller blonde hard so that she fell into one of the makeup chairs. Grasping her chin harshly, Evie didn't give her the chance to stand before she laid into her.

"Now, look! If you wanna go around bein' a whore, that's between you and God. I could give two left testicles about that. Sleep with the whole roster, the stagehands, and whoever is working in the production truck for all I care! Hell, if you wanna go around being a liar, that's none of my damn business as long as it doesn't involve me.

"But, if you're gonna go around lyin' on one of my boys, that _makes_ it my business, an' I _will_ get involved. I hear you sayin' that bullshit again, and I. Will. _End._ You. I've been hit way harder by way bigger people than you, honey, and now I've got a bit of training on what to do when I hit back. Don't make me your enemy, girl. You won't come out on the winnin' end."

Jon shook himself out of his stupor and went to pull her away from Renee when there was a familiar voice, full of bass and anger, shouting behind him.

"What the hell is going on here?!" Paul stepped through the parting crowd, Stephanie striding right beside him. "Someone better start explaining some shit right now."

Renee's eyes suddenly welled with tears as she pointed at Evie. "She scared, insulted, and assaulted me!"

Evie's mouth turned down in a frown, completely unimpressed with the performance. _No wonder they don't let her do more on the shows! She couldn't act her way out of a wet paper bag._

Paul frowned as well, reaching out to turn Evie's chin with the back of a finger. "Well, she didn't get that handprint from nothing, so you want to try again?"

"Excuse me," Danielle gave a small wave and a timid smile from her spot between Curtis and Colby. "Renee was saying some stuff that Evie said was a lie, and then slapped Evie first. Evie just made her sit down to listen to her talk."

Steph and Paul shared a look before turning to Renee, though it was the female half of the couple who spoke. "Renee, pack your bags. You're suspended for a week and fined $5,000."

"But, why?!" Pouting for real now, Renee stomped past where Evie was standing with Jon, one of his hands still holding her bicep. "I _wasn't_ lying! Jon, tell them we're together!"

Instead of answering her, Jon snorted a laugh and looked down to Evie. "How 'bout you tell everyone here what _you_ got to do all weekend. Clear up some of these bullshit rumors for me?"

Shaking her head, Evie turned to address the crowd. "I spent the last two days running around a hotel suite in Austin, Texas, cleaning up puke and tying hair back while these three dealt with that stomach bug fever thing that's been going around."

Evie nodded as most of the crowd made sounds of disgust. "Yeah, much ritz. So glamour."

April giggled. "And she knit me a hat!"

"Well, I had to do something while those three all napped until they woke up and all needed to whine at me about something totally earthshattering."

"Oh, Lord!" Trinity shook her head. "Men are just the _worst_ when they're sick!"

"Oh my God!" Renee stomped a foot and shouted. "Are you seriously acting like this little lackey bitch didn't just assault the talent?!"

It was Paul's turn to chuckle. "'The talent'? Really? Go get your shit and get out, or I'll have you escorted to your car and you won't be invited back."

"But, my interviewing and commentating jobs –"

"Can be done by any number of girls." Steph waved her argument away with a perfectly manicured hand. "Now, don't you have a plane to catch?"

As the crowd dispersed, Paul and Steph focused on Evie. She was doing a good job ignoring the warm pain and tightness of her cheek, though she was far out of practice. Jon had rested his large hand on her neck, using his thumb to tip her chin up and to the side so they could get a better look at the mark that was slowly beginning to bruise.

Paul moved to look over her cheek as well. "You okay?"

Rolling her eyes, she attempted to hide her pleasure at their concern. "I'm fine. Now, c'mon. We've got a face turn to pull!"

Since the guys had been so sick over the weekend, it was decided that they wouldn't have a full match that night. Instead, they would enter the ring as if to beat down Jerry Lawler, but would instead turn and beat Kane. That would set them up to begin a feud with the Authority. To fill the now vacated time, it was decided that Stephen and Mark Henry would continue their storyline with a strap match.

Evie was kept busy, making sure her boys were sufficiently hydrated and still feeling well enough to be in front of the crowd and under the hot lights while also being available for any last minute issues that may arise. Colby couldn't decide if his hair should be up or left to trail over his shoulders, and finally listened to Evie's advice and just combed it back before wetting it down. Joe's vest was once again beginning to rub at the back of his neck, a small irritation that would become much worse over time. Knowing that Sandra would be busy this time of night, Evie rolled the seam down and used her sewing kit to temporarily fix the problem. She texted the older woman to let her know what she had done and why, so that it could be more permanently adjusted. Jon just sipped his water, sitting on a bench and watching as Evie stood on a chair in order to be tall enough to help his friend.

Smirking at her as she held out a piece of wintergreen gum, he grinned and popped it into his mouth. "Gonna be okay back here?"

Jon had been a lot more protective since her run-in with the creep a few weeks before, but no one had told him to stop, and he was finding it interesting to see how far he could go. He felt as if Evie somehow belonged to him, though he knew that was a ridiculous notion at best. She was a grown woman who could make her own decisions and take care of herself just as well as any other woman her age, after all. He just felt that she should have someone bigger and physically stronger around to handle the things she couldn't.

"I'll be fine." Evie nodded. "Have fun learning how to be good."

"I'm always good, Princess." His dimples popped dangerously as he grinned down at her. "Even when I'm not being _good_ , I'm pretty good at being bad."

Evie giggled, shaking her head and following the guys out of the room. They had to climb up to the second level to where they would be entering through the stands. Quite a few fans were standing around, forming a crowd around the huge men. Evie carried two bottles of water in each hand, holding them by their necks. When one of the guys held a hand out, she would give them a bottle and then collect the empties after they got drinks and wet down their hair. The last thing Jon did before stepping through the door was to deposit his little ball of gum into Evie's waiting hand.

One of the security guards accompanied her back to where they started, and she climbed up onto a crate to watch as Kane came out to address the 'Yes! Movement' and the invasion of the ring the week before. Evie loved Kane on the mic, giggling and shaking her head as he started calling out Lawler. When the Shield surrounded King in the corner, the crowd shouted their displeasure, only to begin screaming for them when they turned to face Kane instead. King hopped out of the ring as the three men moved on the larger one, taking him down to the mat and stomping him relentlessly.

Stephen and Mark were in the ring by the time the guys returned, sweating and crowing, to the locker room. Joe and Colby gave her quick, tight hugs before grabbing their clothes and heading to the shower. Jon wrapped a muscular arm around her waist, pulling her close and breathing in the scent of her slightly minty hair before following the others. Evie waited until they tossed their ring gear out to her, scooping it all up and heading down to wardrobe.

She had just dropped the gear off at wardrobe, taking a moment to show Sandra where and how she had rolled Joe's seam, and began her trek back to the locker room when she first heard a sound she had not encountered in over a decade. Spinning to the closest screen, she saw Stephen kneeling in the center of the ring, Mark standing over him with a length of leather in his hand. She had known that the two men would be linked together by a long strip of leather, and that they would be using it against each other, but she hadn't expected to _hear_ it as it smacked against their flesh.

When Stephen came shakily to his feet, twisting the brown hide around his arm and snapping it through the air, she got a good look at his back. Long, thin slices ran across his shoulders in familiar lines. His alabaster skin had already begun to bruise, welts and red lines rising to the surface as he gingerly moved from one corner to another, switching the lights from red to green.

He was tied with Mark at two when the big man surged to his feet and slammed Stephen down onto the mat, flat on his wounded back, but Evie was already turning. She had to find somewhere away from the sights and sounds coming from the action in the ring. The only problem with that plan was that it was playing on every monitor in the building. The echoes of the leather on skin and the men's pained cries followed her all the way through the arena until the door closed behind her and she was finally safe with the guys.

The trip to the hotel was loud, though Evie wasn't part of the boisterous celebrating. Jon frowned over at her, wondering why she was so quiet, but she just gave him a small smile and shook her head. By the time they reached their floor, her eyes are looking a bit far away and glassy.

"You alright, Princess?"

Evie nodded, feeling as if her very skeleton was vibrating with the need to be alone. Why did he insist on talking to her when she was barely holding it together? "Yeah, I'm fine. Just still pretty tired, I guess."

"Well, go grab a shower and maybe think about trying to actually hit the sack. It's a short drive tomorrow, and we don't have to leave till around 10:00."

"Yeah, thank God for that." Evie forced a chuckle.

Jon gripped her wrist before she could enter her room. "Hey, your room connects to our suite, right?"

"Yeah," the question was clear in her voice.

"Could you," Jon cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Could you leave the door cracked a bit?"

"Feeling a bit protective tonight?"

He snorted quietly. "Always."

When her only response was a raised brow, he sighed but relented. "Just figure you're gonna come down with the shit that hit us and want you to be able to get help if you need it."

Nodding, she promised to crack the door before she settled in with her knitting or a movie just in case.

Evie was in the shower, the warm water running through her long hair and down her back, before the floodgates opened. She gave a great hiccupping sob before pressing the heels of her hands into her eyes. That only resulted in her picturing Stephen's back, bloody and bruised, all over again. Unable to stem the flow of tears, she slid to sit on the floor of the tub and just let them come. She had learned years ago that tears needed to be let out from time to time, or they would rise up and overwhelm her at very inconvenient moments.

After eventually gathering herself, Evie finished washing under the now cold shower spray before dressing in a pair of lacy boxer short-type bottoms and a thick sweater. Padding across her room quietly, she cracked her door open only to find the door on the other side wide open into the guys' suite. Smiling to herself, Evie went to see if she could find a pattern for a scarf she wanted to make for Danielle.

Three hours after returning to the hotel, Jon was ripped out of sleep by the sound of a scream. A woman's scream. Full of pain and fear.

And it was coming from the small room adjoining their suite.

Throwing himself out of bed and across the front room to the adjoining room entry, he was flinging the door to Evie's room open before his eyes were fully open. He could hear Joe and Colby following him, knowing that they would be there to back him up against anyone who dared come for the tiny blonde under cover of darkness. He gave a thought to his empty hands, but decided quickly that they would be adequate enough weapons.

The sight of Evie tossing and turning on the bed, her arms clamped over her head as if to ward off an invisible assailant nearly had him tripping over his own feet, but he managed to correct himself and made it to the bed quickly. Wrapping his long fingers around her wrists he began whispering to her as he removed the barrier from in front of her weeping face. A hammering on her door startled her awake enough to recognize a man in her room before she was trying to scramble across the bed away from the tall man silhouetted against the glow of the television.

"Nonono," Jon managed to wrap her up in his arms. "Shhhhhh, Princess. 'S just me."

"Mr. J?" Evie's voice quavered as Stephen and Stu stepped into the room, looking around in concern.

Jon couldn't help but chuckle at the nickname. "Yeah Darlin', it's me. You okay?"

"Yeah," seeing so many huge men standing around her small room made Evie feel even smaller than she usually did. "Sorry to wake y'all. Didn't realize I was so tired."

"This why you don't sleep at night?" Colby leaned against the dresser across from the foot of the bed.

Evie nodded, tucking the blankets around her torso where she now sat facing Jon on the edge of the bed. "Yeah. The nightmares are way worse at night."

"Luv, we heard ya screamin' from next door." Stu shook his head. "That's not a regular nightmare."

At their concerned looks, Evie sighed. "Let's head next door. I could use a drink."

Helping her from the bed, Jon stood back while the others filed through the door and into the large suite next door. Evie's legs were short, but toned and delicate. The tiny lace shorts she wore showcased them wonderfully. She pulled on a pair of tall, fuzzy socks that nearly reached her knees before letting him lead her through the door.

"No thank you," she shook her head at Colby's offer of a bottle of water. Moving to the small bar in the corner, she grabbed a tiny bottle of Jack Daniels, opening and pouring it into a tumbler with a few pieces of ice.

"I was born Evelyn Sue O'Brian." Evie sighed and paced, knowing that she needed to tell these caring, lovely men about her past, but fearing the renewed pain of old wounds. "I was adopted by the McCallisters when I was fourteen, having been fostered with them for almost two years after my father was sent to prison."

Jon frowned, not liking where this seemed to be going. "What for?"

"Child abuse and neglect."

The result was immediate. Jon began pacing the length of the room, his right hand rubbing and drumming against his left collarbone. Joe was bouncing on the balls of his feet, his jaw clenching rhythmically. Colby's arms were crossed over his chest, his biceps rock hard in their stillness. Stephen and Stu had both risen to their feet, their knuckles popping as they clinched their fists dangerously.

It was Joe who broke the tense silence. "Tell me he's in prison."

Evie gave a shaky nod as she finished her whiskey, feeling much calmer with the alcohol beginning to run through her blood. "Far as I know. He was sentenced to ten years, but I heard that he caused some trouble in there, so they extended his time."

Shrugging, she quirked a smile. "I generally don't give him much thought. Mike and Annette are my momma and daddy now, and I'm in a good place with everything. I just don't deal well with sleeping at night."

Stu cleared his throat. "Can I ask where your mum was in all this?"

"She died just after I was born. Postpartum depression was left untreated and she just couldn't handle it." Evie shrugged. "My father started drinking after that. I guess his parents took me for a time, but they were old it was eventually just me and him."

"Was it terrible, _a chroí_?" Stephen's voice was as gentle as it was possible for such a large man.

Evie shrugged. "No more terrible than other kids have had it. Lots of hitting and yelling. Natty Light cans, menthol cigarettes, and bottles of cheap vodka everywhere that I was expected to keep picked up. He hated messes, and it was my job to keep the house pristine, which was almost impossible with how he was."

"That's why you're so neat and into having lists and shit, right?"

Evie nodded, and Jon was glad to have an explanation for behavior he thought to be a bit obsessive/compulsive, though he had hoped it wasn't as bad as all this.

Seeing that it was now nearly 2:00 in the morning, Evie smiled softly. "Y'all need to get back to bed. Lots to do tomorrow, and Stephen needs to ice his back some more. I'm fine, just embarrassed."

The Irishman and Englishman both stood, drawing her into soft hugs before bidding everyone goodnight. Colby kissed the top of her head, shaking his own and trudging back to his bedroom. Joe picked her up off the floor, hugging her to his chest with a hitching breath. When he set her back down on her feet, his eyes were glassy and sad, though his jaw was still clicking in anger.

Jon waited until they were alone, watching as Evie collected her used glass and what trash was sitting around the room. When she was finished picking up, he wrapped his arms around her. He was silent for a few moments before sighing.

"I wanna find that asshole and show him what pain is." Jon growled against her ear.

Shaking her head, Evie shrugged. "Nothin' you can do, Sugar."

Jon chuckled at the pet name. "Come on, let's get some rest."

"Nah, I'm good." Evie shrugged. "Just gonna find some patterns for scarves and maybe watch a movie or two."

"Go grab your shit, and meet me in my room."

Evie frowned. "Why?"

He shrugged as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "My bed's bigger."

"Jon . . ." Evie trailed off, uncertain of how to continue.

"Nothin's gonna happen, Princess. Just wanna know you're safe." Giving another shrug, he also had to divulge another motive. "Also need you around so I don't try breaking into a prison to kill a motherfucker."

Evie rolled her eyes, even though she was secretly glad the men – especially Jon – had reacted this way. "I'm not sharing a bed with you, Jon."

"Then come camp out on our couch." He knew his voice was pleading and that he probably sounded desperate, but he didn't care. "You can do your work and watch TV the same out here, right?"

Agreeing, Evie went to retrieve what she would need to keep herself entertained for the rest of the dark hours.

 **** Thoughts on Evie's story? Had to include the guys in their badass masks (yummy!) and get some plot happening as well. ****


	10. Say It With Flowers

Jon woke Wednesday morning in his own bed, having flown home the night before, and feeling discontent. He and Evie had flown into Vegas together, with her dropping him off at his apartment before making the near-hour-long drive home alone. He had attempted to talk her into staying but she had declined with a smile, stating that she needed the peace and quiet after such a long, busy trip.

Taking his backpack and a snack, Jon spent the morning hiking in the desert. He left his headphones off for the most part, unable to find any music to suit his mood. The wind skirting along the loose earth and pebbles that made up the desert floor – usually a balm for his troubled mind – did nothing to settle his chaotic nerves. A few times, he turned to speak to a companion who was not there.

 _Evie should be here with me._ He was working his way up a particularly challenging incline when the thought appeared. With the image of her quietly smiling face came the sense of calm he had been seeking all morning. Reaching the nearly flat surface of the steep hill he'd been climbing, Jon sat with his forearms resting on his knees and looked out over the valley below with the city in the distance.

Jon knew what he wanted, but he was 100% certain that he had done nothing to ever deserve a chance with Evelyn McCallister. The son of a habitual felon father and an alcoholic drug addicted mother who was more interested in feeding her habits than her young son, he had grown up thinking that he was the only good person in a world full of bad people. That feeling had grown into an ability to see people for what they were, being able to separate the good from the bad without putting too much effort into the endeavor.

Evie was good.

She was so good that Jon wanted to put her in a glass case and keep her safe from everything dirty and evil in the world.

Including him.

Because he knew who and what he was. He had used and dealt drugs for a time, the draw of easy money in Puerto Rico too difficult to resist when he had wrestled there. He had drunk far too much when in the indies, resulting in some incidences in and out of the ring that made him cringe to this day. There were women in his past that would make Evie turn tail and run if ever confronted with them, and he knew that those women had been using him just as he had them. That's all his connections with women had ever been, and he was completely unprepared for a romantic relationship of any other sort.

Jon didn't want to just use Evie to scratch an itch, though. He liked being around her more than he had ever liked being around another woman. She was beautiful in an understated way, exuding a delicate charm befitting the nickname he had given her. There was a core of steel inside her, however, and she did not suffer fools lightly. He remembered the way she had stood up for him against Renee's lies and the group as a whole when they were faced with that annoying DJ.

Climbing back down, he was nearly to his car when he knew what he had to do. He had to see if he could make her his. Had to at least try. But how was he supposed to do that? Jon hadn't the first clue as to how to woo a woman, and Evie wasn't the type to get drunk and fall into bed first and leave everything else to figure itself out. If she were, he wouldn't want her. He wanted something real. Something like Joe and Galina.

As soon as he opened his door, he grabbed the phone from the center console and fired a text off to his best friend. _Are flowers still a thing?_

 _What?_ The answer came quickly, and Jon was glad he had caught the Samoan at a free moment.

 _Do girls still like getting flowers?_

 _Girls like Evie will always like getting flowers._

Jon frowned at the thought of being so transparent. _Am I that obvious?_

 _To me, yes. Just calm down and visit a flower shop. That's what I do when I can't think of something for my girl._

 _Thanks man._ Jon turned off the national park road and headed back into the city.

There was a large flower shop a few blocks away from his apartment, and he figured that was a good enough place to start. Di Bella Flowers and Gifts was quiet at that time of morning, though he could see some workers putting together arrangements at a back counter. There were stuffed animals and chocolates along one wall, balloons and assorted vases lined another, and everywhere else there were flowers. So many colors, with so many scents that Jon's head spun.

"Hello, and welcome to Di Bella's!" The bright greeting matched the voice of the older woman wearing a flowered apron. "How can I help you today?"

"Um," Jon frowned. "I want to send a girl some flowers."

Her smile softened. "Girlfriend?"

"No," he shrugged. "Well, not . . . not yet?"

"Oh," she smiled and stepped closer. "Well, flowers are an excellent way of opening things up a bit. It's how my husband first got my attention."

"Yeah?" Rubbing at his collarbone, Jon hunched his shoulders a bit. "Not sure where to start, you know?"

"Well, first, we decide what kind of girl she is. My name is Georgia, by the way."

"Jon," he introduced himself. Feeling a bit better about this endeavor, he felt his shoulders loosen a bit. "And Evelyn – Evie – is. . ."

"Special?"

"Yeah."

"Well," Georgia motioned for him to walk with her and they slowly made their way around the store. "Tell me about her. What does she like? What does she wear?"

"She's really sweet, but can stand up for herself. She's so pretty that it sometimes makes me forget how to talk, though she has no clue." Now that he was talking about her, he couldn't seem to stop. "She reads all the time, wears skirts and dresses when she's at work, likes Disney princess stuff, and knits."

Georgia smiled. "And you want this girl all to yourself, huh? Permanently? Because girls like that aren't for playing with."

Shaking his head, Jon shifted his shoulders nervously as she spoke. "I don't want to play with her. She's important. Maybe the only important thing."

"Good," Georgia nodded. "Now, let's discuss what you want to say with these flowers."

Jon frowned and looked at the rows and rows of loose flowers in large containers of water. "That I like her? Aren't roses, like, the thing?"

"Mmmm," she hummed and then plucked a daisy from its resting place. "Well, red roses are the generic thing to do. And you don't strike me as someone who likes generic things."

Shaking his head, Jon agreed with that.

"Well, the daisy says 'innocence', while this Indian jasmine," she selected a pretty five petal white flower with a delicate yellow center from another container, "speaks of your attachment to her."

Jon nodded, but frowned a moment later. "Lot of white and yellow, though."

"How about we add some amethyst flowers?" She motioned to some delicate purple buds. "They speak of your admiration."

"How do you know what flowers mean?" Jon frowned. "Was this a class I had missed in high school?"

Georgia laughed as she began gathering several of each flower they had chosen. "No, not everyone knows what flowers mean. It's just one of those things."

"How do we know that Evie will understand it, then?"

"Well," she wiped her hands on her apron and drew a book from one of the shelves. "This book contains a lot of flowers and their meanings."

"Could I maybe send one of those with the flowers and keep one for myself? So I know what to order when I'm on the road?"

Smiling, she rang the books up along with the charge for the flowers and delivery. "On the road?"

Jon smirked. "I'm a professional wrestler."

"Well, that's different." She giggled and shook her head. "No wonder you didn't want something run-of-the-mill!"

He smirked and nodded, really liking the woman and deciding that this was the only place he would come for flowers in the city.

While he watched her arrange the flowers in a bulbous glass vase, one of the other workers – this one a younger brunette – skipped along the area behind the counter. She was wearing a matching apron, her hair tied back from her pretty face with a wide blue ribbon. As he looked on, she held up her left wrist to show Georgia the silver bracelet there.

"Look what Derrick bought me for our one year anniversary!" She pointed out the different little beads and dangling things. "One for each month we've been married! There's our rings, and the trip to Disney. Here's another for when we bought our puppy."

Knowing that Evie's birthday was coming up in a few weeks – she had included that along with her address and contact information in the packet she'd given them at the start of her employment as their assistant – and wanting to do something different, he smiled.

"Excuse me," he smiled when the younger woman looked up at him. "Can I ask where I could get something like that?"

"Sure!" She grinned happily. "There's a Pandora store at the Canal Shoppes in the Venetian. They have all sorts of bracelets, and you buy all the beads and charms separate, though you can get the beads online and stuff."

Thanking both women, he filled out a card to accompany the flowers before leaving the store and heading for the Strip.

O:O:O:O:O:

Evie had decided that she was going to use Wednesday as a rest day, as she had been hitting the gym quite heavily lately. As such, she spent the morning sipping coffee on the front porch before making a trip to the city in order to visit a yarn shop and the larger grocery store located on the edge of town.

She had discovered knitting years ago when her therapist had suggested she find something that let her mind rest. Now, she tended to keep two projects going at any given point in time. One was usually something simple and easy, letting her fingers do the work without her brain having to keep track of what was happening. The other would be more complicated, usually involving charts that she would have to focus on in order to not miss stitches. There was just something about yarn that helped her feel calm. Now, she bought some silk for the scarf she planned to knit for Danielle as well as some lovely deep blue wool for a more difficult shawl for herself.

After a quick lunch, she ran to get what she would need for the next few days.

Picking up some chicken and fish, she only had to get a few fresh vegetables to go with it. She stocked up on non-perishables once a month, and that normally lasted her through just fine, so weekly trips to the store could be kept short. She returned home and unloaded her car when a refrigerated delivery truck made its way down her driveway.

Coming to a stop, the driver hopped out and greeted her with a friendly smile. "Hello, are you Evelyn?"

Evie nodded, a bit confused. "Yes?"

"Well, then, I have a delivery for you." He popped around to the back before removing a simply wrapped package and clipboard from the front seat.

"Are you sure?" Evie hadn't received flowers from anyone since Gavin sent some when she graduated from college. The only time before that had been when she graduated from high school.

He grinned, his eyes crinkling with the action. "Is there another Evelyn McCallister here?"

Shaking her head with a sigh, Evie signed on the line he showed her and took the pretty bouquet and package inside. The envelope nestled among the blooms was a lovely heavy material, the card inside matching it perfectly. Sliding it out, she sank down onto a kitchen chair as she read what was written there in a strong, broad hand.

 _Evie, These say it all. – Jon_

Unwrapping the package, she smiled when she realized it was a book. _Language of Flowers_ by Kate Greenaway. As she flipped through its pages, enjoying the sketches and photographs, a slip of paper fell out and fluttered to the floor.

' _Daisy, Indian jasmine, amethyst'_ was written in a much more feminine style.

Flipping to the corresponding pages, Evie couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. There was no way to misinterpret this. Jon felt for her the same way she felt for him.

The phone was ringing before she had even thought of what she was going to say.

"Hello?" Jon had thought about what he would do if she called him, but now that it had happened, he felt completely unprepared.

"Hi, Jon!" Evie smiled and breathed in the soft scent of the flowers on her table. "Thank you so much. These are just lovely!"

"Glad you liked them." Sinking down onto the couch, he fiddled with the envelope on his knee.

"I really do. It's the first time someone other than my brother or daddy bought me flowers."

"Yeah?" Feeling lightened by that thought, Jon decided to press on. "Did you open the package?"

"Yeah, and looked a few things up."

Trying to take a calming breath, Jon continued. "So, I was wondering. I mean, we'll be in New York for Raw and some house shows next week, and I was hoping that maybe you would want to hit a hockey game?

"The Flyers will be in town, and I have tickets. If you wanna go, that is." Losing his nerve, he felt himself fizz out. "Nah, you wouldn't be interested in hockey. That was stupid. Nevermind."

"Jon?" Evie felt a case of the collywobbles coming on, something she hadn't felt since her first year at college. "I would love to."

 ****I thought y'all deserved something sweet after the doozy of a last chapter. What do you think?****


	11. Night of a Few Firsts

**Thank you all for the reviews! I love them, and you all!**

The last few weeks leading up to Wrestlemania were the busiest of the year, and Stephanie had been right about the amount of appearances and house shows increasing once the Shield started their face turn. The following week was booked nearly solid for the guys. Evie looked forward to her date with Jon on Thursday night, because it was both a chance to get to know him better while doing something fun _and_ the one night they would have completely free until April 2nd. They would need to be in New Orleans by the morning of Thursday, April 3rd in order to make it to their fan interaction commitments at Axxess before the Hall of Fame ceremony on the evening of the 5th and then Wrestlemania XXX the following night.

Now, they were driving through the night from an evening in Buffalo to Scranton, Pennsylvania, for a house show the following evening. There would be yet another set of interviews that morning and autograph signings before they were set to wrestle. They had rented a large passenger van for most of the trip, and Evie had insisted on driving after they ate a late dinner, knowing that the three men would need to sleep during the drive in order to get as much rest as possible.

"So we have Scranton and two more house shows, Thursday off, then shows and interviews Saturday and Sunday, and then Raw on Monday before hitting Boston for Smackdown taping Tuesday, right?" Joe ran through the list on his phone before sighing. "Then, there's more shows and shit until the dual Raw and Smackdown tapings on the 31st."

Evie nodded as she programmed the GPS. "Then, you need to get home, get your suits for the Hall of Fame, and be in New Orleans by the morning of the 4th for TV spots."

"Shit," Jon sighed heavily.

Colby snickered from where he was getting comfortable laying across the third row of seats. "Dude, did you forget about the Hall of Fame?!"

"Oh, hush," Evie scolded lightly. "In a zombie apocalypse situation, I'm betting on Jon to survive. You're iffy, since you wouldn't know it was even happening without a twitter notification."

Everyone chuckled before Jon had to ask the obvious question from his spot along the first row of seats behind Evie. "So, oh great organizer and ass-saver, what do I do?"

"You calm your tits and let me take care of it."

"But how?!" He drew his arm away from his eyes to look at her incredulously. "We have zero time to do this shit!"

"After Scranton, we'll head to New York City and stay at the same hotel for a few days in order to hit all the house shows and interviews ya'll have until Raw in Brooklyn." Evie turned onto the highway as she spoke. "I'll have someone there to fit a suit one of those afternoons."

"You think of everything, Evie." Joe's voice was a bit slurred as he sprawled on his row between Jon and Colby.

"It's what I'm good at, Joe. Now, ya'll get some sleep and let me drive in peace." Sipping the coffee she had gotten to go from the restaurant, Evie settled into her seat and tried not to sing along too loudly with the radio.

O:O:O:O:O:

Jon was drumming his fingers along his collarbone and twisting his upper body back and forth as he stood in the hall waiting for her to answer his knock, even though he could've just as easily knocked on the door connecting their suite to her room. It was Thursday evening, and he was taking Evie to dinner before going to watch his visiting Flyers play the Rangers at the Garden. He had made reservations at the Pennsylvania 6 restaurant, and hoped that Evie liked it.

Evie had spent the afternoon in a near panic, calling April and Danielle when the small arrangement of jonquil arrived and it became clear that she couldn't keep her mind off the events of the coming evening.

"Did Jon send those?" Danielle looked skeptical as she sniffed the pretty blooms.

April seemed to share her sentiment. "He sent weird daffodils?"

"They're jonquil," Evie grinned. "They mean that he desires a return of affection."

With the other women's help, she had managed to eat lunch and pick out an outfit that would both look really nice and not be too over the top for dinner and a hockey game before taking a nap and getting ready.

April and Danielle had both attended many games, though April was more new to the sport than the blonde, and they pointed out that low heels and a skirt with a plain shirt would blend best with the feel of a first date. With that in mind, she pulled a black fitted sweater on before shimmying into a tweedy mini skirt. She left her hair to flow over her shoulders and back, applied some makeup, and was zipping her thigh high boots when there was a soft knock at her door. With a deep, calming breath, she grabbed her purse and forced herself to move a bit slowly rather than whipping the door open as she desired.

Jon grew still the moment Evie appeared in front of him, her smiling eyes shining up at him. The tall boots covered most of her legs, though a few inches of skin could be seen between them and the hem of her short skirt. As he watched, she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and chewed her bottom lip lightly.

"You look amazing," he breathed.

Glancing down at herself, Evie met his eyes and grinned. "Really?"

"Yeah," Jon gestured to the hall. "Ready?"

"Uh-huh." Shutting her door behind her, Evie smiled as he placed his hand as low on her back as his long arm would reach and led her to the elevator.

Dinner was just as amazing as he had hoped, though he had to tell her twice to get whatever she wanted on the menu regardless of the price. "Seriously, Princess. What sort of man would I be if I let such a beautiful girl go hungry while I ate a big ass steak in front of her?"

"You know, you're working your way up to Prince Charming status pretty quickly."

Jon snorted. "Nah, I'm more like a frog sitting at your table."

"And doesn't the frog eventually turn into a prince?"

"Only after the pretty princess gives him a kiss." Jon grinned as Evie's cheeks turned a pleasing pink and then thanked the waiter as he brought out their meals.

The weather was clear and just a bit chilly, so they walked to the arena from the restaurant instead of getting a cab. A few fans recognized him, though no one approached him for an autograph. When Evie slipped her tiny hand into his much larger one, her fingers linking with his, he felt an odd sense of pride and ownership that he had never had before.

Evie had loved the steak she had at dinner, the chef preparing it perfectly for her medium rare desires. The walk to the arena, though a bit cool for her, was clear and enjoyable. Not wanting to get separated as they drew nearer their destination, she laced her fingers through his. The tingle she felt made her smile, and the warmth that followed left her both a bit giddy and feeling well protected from the growing crowd waiting to enter the massive building.

Evie had read up on the rules of the game, but watching hockey live was a lot different than simply reading about it. The game was insanely fast, with guys being hit and smashed into the glass all over the ice. Jon explained that the two teams tended to hit more than others, so she was getting a bit of a crash course in hockey hitting and fighting 101. When two men squared off, circling each other almost gracefully with their fists raised, Evie stood next to Jon, a bit worried for the combatants.

"Won't they get hurt?!" She risked a glance up at him before focusing back on the men about to fight. "Why don't the refs stop them?"

"Sometimes they stop them, and sometimes fighters get hurt. Just part of the game, Princess."

When the player wearing a Flyers jersey threw the first punch, landing a shot to his opponent's chin, Evie squeaked and curled into Jon's chest.

Chuckling at his tiny date, Jon slung his arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry, baby. They'll be fine."

Evie tried to believe him, settling in and eventually cheering along with the rest of the crowd.

They walked back to the hotel, Jon's leather jacket draped over her shoulders to combat the now quite cold breeze. When she had made to protest, he had only smirked and shaken his head. Pushing her arms through the sleeves, she giggled at how long it was on her. The doorman smiled at the pair as he held the door to the hotel lobby for them.

She returned the coat while they rode up to their floor in the plush elevator, stealing glances at him in the mirrored doors. Though he stood quietly, gazing up at the numbers between long looks at her face, Evie noted the way he flexed his long fingers along his thick thighs. He again led her down the hallway with a hand on her back, loving the feeling of her under the thick wool of her sweater.

"Would it be cliché and stupid for me to say that I had fun tonight?" Evie had slowed a bit, making the journey to her door take a few minutes longer than otherwise necessary.

"Don't matter if it's cliché, as long as you mean it."

Evie grinned and nodded. "I really did."

"Good. I was hoping you would like the game. I know it's not the normal first date thing."

"I liked the game okay, but liked spending time with you more."

Jon broke out in a wide grin, unable to keep the dimples in his cheeks from making an appearance. Reaching her room, he watched as she unlocked the door, and thought about leaning down and kissing her. He could almost feel the curve of her waist and hip under his hands and the way she would tilt her head to urge him closer.

Before he could move, however, she suddenly surged up onto her toes. Ghosting her lips along the corner of his mouth, she drew away and was gone before he could gather his wits and respond. Behind, she left a smudge of red lipstick and the taste of sweetness that he knew could only be something unique to her alone.

The next morning dawned bright and clear, the city seeming cheerful and welcoming as Evie and the members of the Shield all set out for a midmorning run through Central Park.

The early radio spots had went well, with the three of them answering questions and cracking jokes for nearly half an hour. Evie sat in the corner with her tablet, helping to keep them on task, though the current interviewers had presented them with a list of possible questions when they first arrived, all of which had been approved. More than once, Evie had watched as Jon lifted his hand as if to rub at his chest or shoulder, only to graze his thumb over the very spot she had softly kissed the night before. Each time it happened, she felt liquid fire course through her veins. His continued looks and smirks only confirmed for her that he understood what he was doing.

Jon was showered and ready by the time the tailor arrived with a selection of suits for him to try on. Evie uniformly vetoed anything lighter than a charcoal grey, calling it tacky for such a formal evening. Settling on a deep grey suit, he was soon trying on ties as the older man spoke with Evie about having the arms lengthened by the following afternoon.

"Hey, Evie?" Jon drew her attention away from the tailor to look at a deep blue tie with lighter dots. "Think this one will match your dress?"

Confused, she frowned. "What dress?"

"For the Hall of Fame. I mean, you're coming with me, right?"

Shaking her head, she stepped closer. "Jon, honey, I don't have a dress or a seat. I didn't know you would want me there."

"I told them I was bringing a date already." Knowing that he was begging but unable to keep himself from speaking, he met her olive eyes with his now cloudy blues. "Please?"

Unable to resist such an entreaty, Evie found herself nodding. "Of course, Mr. J."

Moving quickly, Jon leaned down and brushed his lips just along the corner of her mouth, delighting in the soft gasp from her ruby lips. "Better get a dress, Princess."

O:O:O:O:O:

Evie shot off a panicked text to April and Danielle before setting out with the guys for the house show in Newark, New Jersey. Since she'd rented such a large van, they invited some of the other wrestlers to ride along to save money. As a result, her two favorite Divas along with Trinity, Jon and Josh Fatu, Claudio Castagnoli, and Taylor Rotunda had piled into the huge vehicle, turning it into a mobile party with people shouting back and forth over the music, laughing and telling stories on each other. April, still dealing with the fact that her new fiancée had left the company not even a month before, sat in the front passenger seat while the other women took up the front most row behind them.

"So," April grinned. "I take it the date went well?"

Blushing, Evie nodded. "It was really fun, and Jon's just awesome."

"And he asked you to the Hall of Fame ceremony?" Danielle grinned at her in the rearview mirror. "Any clue where you're going to get a dress?"

"Honestly? I have no clue." Evie shrugged. "And I've only got tomorrow and Monday afternoons in the city before we hit Boston for Smackdown. After that is a bunch of smaller towns until we hit DC. I've got maybe two full days home in Vegas before flying down to New Orleans!"

Trinity shook her head. "Men _seriously_ do not understand what it takes to be a girl sometimes!"

"Here's what I think," Danielle smiled. "Do your research online tonight and figure out a few places in New York and Boston that might have something for you. I've got nothing until the house show tomorrow night, so I can go with you to look."

April nodded along. "I'm free all day Sunday."

Trinity grinned. "I'm good Sunday as well, and could use some time away from my loud-ass husband!"

She had raised her voice at the end so that Jon Fatu shouted an affronted 'hey!' from the back seat.

"Oh, 'hey' yourself, you big baby!" She pulled a face that had the other women laughing with each other and the men looking around, puzzled.

Jon was chuckling over the interaction when Josh elbowed him in the side. "So, I hear you finally got around to asking Evie to the Hall of Fame, yeah?"

"How the hell do you know that?"

Josh smirked. "She told Dani and April, and they told Trin. She let my brother know, and he told me. Samoan families aren't big on secrets, man."

Jon nodded. "Yeah, I see that."

"It's about time, too." Claudio interrupted from his seat in the second row.

Frowning, Jon focused on the tall Swiss man. "What do you know about it?"

"I know that half the company was thinking of asking her out if you didn't make your move soon."

Jon smirked in disbelief until he saw the looks on every face around him. "Wait. Seriously?"

When the group nodded as one, he shook his head. "Well, tell everyone even thinking about it to find some ring rat. Evie's mine."


	12. Happy Birthday, Princess

**Thanks so much for the awesome reviews!** Khaaaaaaan and angelsdee327 are the best, and you should all check out their stories! **NESSAANCALIME6913, I always love your reviews and insights. Lucy1029, you're going to like this one, I think.**

Evie stretched her arms over her head, popping her back and shoulders deliciously. She had delivered the Shield's gear to their room a few minutes ago and was now busy looking through the show notes for both Raw and Smackdown. Since these were the last two shows before Wrestlemania – and since Smackdown was going to be more showcasing past Axxess events and Mania matches than new content – they were staying late to film both shows in one evening. If the crowd queuing up outside was anything to go by, things were going to be very, very loud and very, very fun.

Now, Evie paused on her way to catering, smiling at the large man striding toward her with a blonde woman – obviously his wife, Michelle – carrying a baby dressed in an adorable onesie and tutu outfit. Anyone who had been watching wrestling for more than a few months would know the Undertaker anywhere. That Mark Calaway liked pretty blonde women was of absolutely no surprise either. He just seemed the type.

"Darlin', you have any idea where Paul and Stephanie's office would be?" His voice was low, but not displeasing. "These new arenas are confusing as shit."

"I can take you there, no problem." Evie nodded and motioned for them to follow her. "Right this way."

"Are you a new Diva?" The other blonde questioned as they walked. "Haven't seen you on television yet."

"No, no, no." Evie laughed, adjusting her brown tweed sport coat as they walked. "No, definitely not. I'm just a personal assistant."

"Huh," Mark looked her over and shook his head. "Why didn't they have girls like you running around when I was here full time?"

"Mr. Calaway, from the stories I've heard, you wouldn't have had much use for girls like me back in the day." Evie smiled while the couple chuckled just as they reached their destination. "Here you go."

"Little Evie!" Randy's familiar voice interrupted what Mark was going to say. "I hear we share a birthday tomorrow!"

"I s'pose we do." Evie grinned. "Happy birthday."

"Same to you.

"Hey, Mark," Randy shook his hand and motioned to the baby. "Congratulations."

"Thanks, kid." Mark smirked and nodded.

Randy turned back to Evie with a wide grin. "You coming out with everybody after the show? Gonna be a fun night!"

Evie shook her head. "Nah, I'm not one for a lot of drinking. Probably just hang out in the room with some Chinese take-out. Besides, I'd just have to stay sober anyway."

The office door opened behind Randy and Stephanie smiled at the assembled group, obviously a bit surprised. "Well, hello!"

Evie quietly excused herself and went to collect the water bottles the guys would need before their entrance while everyone else filed into the office.

While the invitation to go out with the onscreen talent was welcome, Evie didn't find the thought of being surrounded by loud drunks to be all that appealing. Besides, doing her job with the guys meant not being inebriated while on duty. She needed to be able to respond when and if they needed a ride home or someone to run interference with the public or law enforcement.

The members of the Shield along with the two older men who comprised the New Age Outlaws were sitting in the locker room discussing their upcoming interactions in the ring when Evie entered, a bag of bottles dangling from her hand. Waving as she came through the door, she proceeded to straighten up the clothes that the boys had draped over the benches or dropped unceremoniously on the floor while putting out the required water bottles at each spot. One of Jon's socks had ended up across the room, and she smiled indulgently as she laid it with its match.

"Hey girlie," Brian "Jesse" James grinned and motioned to the extra water. "Can I get one of those?"

"Of course!" Handing one to him, she looked at the others. "Anyone else?"

Kip "Billy Gunn" Sopp nodded. "I'll take one."

Jon ran his eyes over Evie's choice of clothes. A deep blue skirt that fell a few inches above her knees had been paired with a white dress shirt, red bowtie, and suspenders. A brown, fitted sports coat was buttoned over it. A bright red headband and scuffed brown ankle boots with a low, thick heel completed the outfit.

"Okay, who are you today?" He chuckled as the others looked at him curiously. "What?! She's obviously dressed up like a character."

"It's called cosplaying, Jon." Evie giggled and shook her head at their lack of knowledge, her tiny TARDIS earrings dancing merrily with the action. "And I'm the 10th Doctor today."

While most of them just looked confused, Brian laughed heartily. "Bowties are cool!"

"Exactly!" Evie smiled widely at the older man. "Are you a fan?"

"No, but my daughter is." He grabbed his phone and wiggled it a bit. "Can I get a picture with you for Twitter? She'd just love it."

"No problem!"

Tossing the phone to Kip, Brian and Evie posed together with wide smiles. After the photo was taken, Evie shook her head and reminded them that they should be getting a small snack. They didn't want to skip it and get a cramp in the ring, and Evie smiled as they all filed out the door to grab something from catering.

"Hey, Evie?" Jon paused, one hand holding the door open.

"Yeah?"

"You going out with everyone tonight?" He posed it as a question, although he already had a feeling that she wouldn't be attending the planned festivities.

"No. I am staying in." Evie collected her purse before stepping through the door with him. "Why?"

"Mind if I hang out with you? Don't really feel like partying." While he kept the small, hopeful grin on his face, internally he was dancing with glee while also being nervous as to whether or not she would agree.

"Sure! I was thinking Chinese, if that's okay?"

Jon nodded. "Yeah, that'd be great. We'll order in?"

She agreed and turned to head in the same direction as the others. Jon let go and did a little dance as he followed behind her.

O:O:O:O:O:

Joe and Colby had left their bags with Evie and Jon, heading to a nearby club from the arena with Randy and the others. Evie had instructed them to either call her or a cab if they had more than two drinks, not wanting them to be drunk and walking in an unfamiliar city. Jon had wheeled their bags into the suite and told her to go put on something comfortable and open the adjoining door when she was ready while he did the same.

Evie slipped on a white tank top featuring Jack Skellington and a pair of white and black striped cotton shorts before washing her face and brushing out her hair. At a few minutes before midnight, she opened the door between her room and the suite before pulling up the movie selections available. When nothing looked good, she set up her laptop and connected it to the television with the short HDMI cable from her bag.

 _Netflix to the rescue._

She had just pulled up _Serenity_ , thinking it had a good action and plot mix for her and Jon, when there was a knock on the door leading to the hallway. Checking the peephole, she saw a delivery driver holding a bag full of food.

"Um, I didn't order anything." Evie spoke through the door.

The man frowned. "Room 804? Name on the order is Good."

"Oh!" As soon as she opened the door, she could smell the wonderful aroma of sweet and sour chicken along with fried rice and something very spicy.

"I got it," Jon's voice floated from the other door before she could ask about the price. Placing something on the table, he hurried to pay the man and gave him a good tip for delivering so late at night. "Thanks, man."

"No, thank you." He left with a smile.

"You remembered my sweet and sour!" Evie grinned up at him.

"Wasn't exactly hard. It's the only Chinese you'll eat." Jon smirked in return. "Not much of a birthday."

Evie let her eyes trail over his t-shirt and athletic shorts before smiling up at him. "Seems pretty great to me so far!"

Chuckling, Jon set down the food and picked up the small box he placed on the table in his haste to keep her from paying for her own birthday dinner. "Here. Got somethin' for you."

"You didn't have to get me a present!" Taking the box, Evie smiled at the attempt at wrapping. Though it wasn't precise, it was still decent, and the big green bow was perfect.

"Wanted to," he shrugged, now uncertain of its reception. "Just open it already so we can eat!"

Laughing, Evie tore into the paper before the name on the box's lid caught her attention and she slowly opened it before hesitantly looking up into Jon's cornflower eyes. "Jon?"

"Well, you like pretty things, and this seemed like something really cool." Shrugging, he started taking the food out of the bag so he didn't have to stare at her anymore. "You don't have to wear it if you don't like it. I mean, I can take it back or exchange it for something a little less messy."

"Jon," she looked back down at the brown leather braid nestled in the box. It was coiled around three times and already had a few beads threaded onto its length. "I absolutely adore it."

Removing it from its resting place, she held the silver charms up to examine them closer.

"A cow for your family's farm. A pirate with an eye patch for One-Eyed Willie (that's not a real Pandora charm, though), and a little fairy tale book." Jon cleared his throat. "A round charm with daisies, the Statue of Liberty for New York where we had our first date, and the little dangling Flyers 'P' for the game. Then, I put a cupcake with 'happy birthday'."

Evie giggled as she recognized the last charm. "And a frog prince!"

Jon shrugged. "Well, yeah."

Wrapping the leather around her wrist, Evie wasn't surprised to see that it went around it four times. Leaning up onto her toes, she met his eyes and used her fingertips on his jaw to lead his lips to her own.

The kiss was soft, starting as a mere brush of her lips against his own, before he rumbled in his chest and wrapped an arm around her waist to draw her up against him. She gasped, and he took the opportunity her parted lips afforded by slipping his tongue past her teeth and exploring the sweetness of her mouth. When she responded by wrapping her arms around his neck and playing with the curls she found at the back of his head, he chuckled and eased the two of them back to earth.

"Wow," Evie breathed.

"So, you like it?"

"The bracelet or the kissing?"

He chuckled. "Both?"

Evie grinned. "Love it! It's so perfect."

Now it was Jon's turn to grin. "The bracelet or the kissing?"

"Both!" She giggled in response.

"Good." He smirked and then gestured to her wrist. "It'll look even better once it's got more things on it."

"Even if nothing else ever gets added, I'll love it."

"C'mon, let's eat." Shaking his head, Jon ignored the heat in his cheeks and grasped her bare wrist to lead her to the table. The raised line of a thin, short scar caught his attention as his fingers slid over the Auryn inked into her wrist, and he looked down at her with wide eyes. "Evie . . . ?"

"Let's not talk about it tonight, okay?" When a frown was his only response, she sighed. "I don't want to talk about it on my birthday."

Nodding, he let it go and they settled in to eat Chinese.

"So, what are we watching?"

Evie sighed as she curled her legs under her and got comfortable next to him on the bed. " _Serenity_. It's the wrap-up to the show _Firefly_ , but you don't necessarily have to watch the show to get it. Basically, it's cowboys in outer space."

"What?" He chuckled and sipped his Coke.

Evie walked him through all the important backstory information while they ate, giggling as she told him that he'd probably really like Mal and Jayne. "They're very much like you."

"What do you mean?"

"They're strong and sweet, but they try to pretend that they aren't. And Mal's really street smart, though he acts like that's all it is when he was a general with the browncoats against the Alliance."

Nodding, Jon could see what she meant. "Alright. Let's do this!"

Evie pressed play and finished her dinner during the first half of the film, enjoying how into it Jon was getting. He nodded along with Mal's assessment of what it meant to be part of his crew and how he would fight and kill to protect it. Jayne drew chuckles from deep in his chest, and River both made him laugh and say 'damn' in turns.

Evie settled against his side, sighing as he wrapped a strong arm around her shoulders to draw her near. When he suggested _Terminator 2_ as a follow up, she sleepily nodded and burrowed into his chest as he stretched out on top of the blankets. He sent a text to Joe and Colby, making sure they had rides back, before he began running his fingers through the long blonde hair resting along her spine.

"Getting tired?"

She nodded quietly. "Little bit."

"Go on to sleep, baby."

She frowned, trying to fight against the pull of slumber. "Don't wanna."

"Yeah, you do." He pressed a gentle kiss to the crown of her head. "Go on. I'm right here."

"You'll keep me safe?"

"Of course."

"Promise?"

She sounded so small and lost that Jon wrapped his other arm around her and brought her fully up onto his chest, caging her with his arms and pillowing her with his body. "Promise."

Her only response was a gentle mumble and a soft, snuffling snore.

"Happy birthday, Princess." Jon promised himself he'd leave after the movie was over.

They both slept until her alarm sounded just after dawn.

O:O:O:O:O:

Evie sorted her dirty laundry, throwing it in the machine before hurriedly dusting and spot cleaning the rest of her house. It didn't matter if she hadn't been home in nearly three weeks, or that she was leaving again for another six or seven days. Her house couldn't be left in disarray. It just simply was not allowed.

Opening the windows to let the crisp early spring breeze waft through the cabin, she tried on the dress she and Dani had managed to find at a high-end vintage shop while in New York. The soft blue, 50s style evening gown fit well, it's off the shoulder fit covering her back while leaving her collarbones exposed. Doing a spin in front of the mirror, she giggled to herself. Knowing she would require new shoes for the occasion, she dressed comfortably in a sweater and gauzy floral maxi skirt before heading into the city.

Starting at a few of the more low key shops, Evie was able to find a few hair combs that would look lovely with her dress and new bracelet. She had just found and purchased the perfect pair of shoes at her fifth stop, spending only a bit more than she had planned, when her phone rang.

Seeing the name on the screen, she smiled and answered immediately. "Hey, Jon!"

"You sound chipper." He chuckled, ruffling his curls and yawning as he padded through his apartment. "What're you up to?"

"Shopping." Evie giggled at his soft groan. "Just bought shoes and accessories for the Hall of Fame. You just now waking up?"

"I needed a good long sleep. Shit has been crazy lately, and it's only going to get worse the next few days."

Securing her latest purchase in the trunk of her car, Evie smirked. "Ain't that the truth! Hell, I have to head out tomorrow afternoon just to make sure everything's in line for when y'all get there on Thursday!"

This information drew Jon up short, and he frowned heavily. "What do you mean?"

"Well, there are reservations that need to be confirmed and schedules to cement. Hell, I don't even know if y'all are supposed to be out helping Steph and her crew build that playground on Friday!"

"But, I thought we were flying down together?"

"I would love to, honey," Evie softened her tone in response to the hurt sound in his voice. "But you need your rest and I have to be on a 7:00AM flight in order to get a handle on things before you and the others show up."

"I guess," he sighed. "So, you got your outfit all figured out?"

"Yup, and it's just so pretty!" Evie giggled as she slid behind the wheel and put the phone on speaker. "When I try on the dress, I feel like Cinderella!"

Grinning, Jon began picking out clothes for the day. "Good. I'm sure you're going to blow all those other girls out of the water."

Shaking her head, Evie rolled her eyes. "Not when 'those other girls' includes Nikki and Brie. Those two are _professionals_ when it comes to looking good."

"I disagree. They're both too loud, and the one is too plastic-y."

They spoke for a few more minutes before Jon used grabbing a shower as an excuse to hang up. He had an idea, though not much of a plan as to how to implement it. After all, it's not like he could ask Evie to help him with every little thing. Then, he had to run to the Strip for a few things.

It was quite early the next morning when Evie stored her bags in the overhead compartment and fastened her seatbelt in preparation for take-off. She had the window seat for once, and was planning on enjoying the sight of passing clouds. Her headphones and iPad would have to keep her company on the short jaunt south, as it didn't seem worth it to bust out the knitting. She had busied herself looking out over the busy tarmac when the young man sitting next to her stood and another body took his place. Turning her attention to the new occupant, Evie jumped in surprise.

"Hi!" Jon waved with the biggest, cheesiest grin he could muster.

"What're you doing here?!" Evie smiled, not realizing until she saw him how much the thought of flying out without him had bothered her.

Jon shrugged. "Didn't feel like hanging around at home."

"Uh-huh," Evie grinned before pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. "Thanks."

Jon looked over her dress, grinning at the layered skirts and pretty rose-colored cardigan. She wore the boots with the gears and clock hands that she had been wearing the first time they met.

"Everything shiny, Princess?"

"Not to fret, Cap'n." Beaming, Evie giggled. "No power in the 'verse can stop me."

"So," Jon settled into his seat as the plane got ready for take-off. "We have any idea what's going on this weekend?"

Rolling her eyes, she sighed. "The plan is vague at _best_."

"Well then, how about we see what you can figure out as far as that goes, and then we hit Bourbon Street for dinner and drinks?"


	13. Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler!

The two days leading up to Wrestlemania weekend were insane, and Evie was having a hard time keeping her boys from going insane with it. Thursday morning, the three members of the Shield had been invited to a session at Big Easy Crossfit, which they attended and crushed. Evie, seeing that the WOD featured a great deal of running and then lifts that she knew well, also participated before snapping pictures of the men with various members and coaches. After a shower and lunch, they attended the first of their obligatory autograph signings and photo ops.

Friday was more of the same, with Evie sitting out that session of gym time. Instead, she second checked times of appearances and made sure all arrangements for the next few days were in place. That afternoon and evening consisted of more autograph signings, photo opportunities, and press interviews before they went over their match with the New Age Outlaws.

She had her hands full with making sure all arrangements were made for Joe and Colby's dates for the Hall of Fame. Galina would be arriving that evening, and Joe had requested a spa day for his fiancée while he was busy Saturday. Colby was attending the Hall of Fame ceremony with one of the NXT girls, so there was nothing Evie needed to do there. Evie would do her own hair and makeup, not trusting that anyone else would respect her wishes not to look like a circus clown.

Picking Zahra, Colby's date, up from the airport, Evie was happy to have a moment to herself away from the craziness. The other woman seemed nice enough, though a bit tacky and pretentious. She wore a pair of leggings with a low cut tank top, showing quite a bit of tattooed skin, and very large earrings. They made mundane small talk until Evie dropped her off in front of the hotel so she could freshen up and went on to meet the guys at the arena to take them to another signing session.

Jon and Joe rode to the airport along with her in order to collect Galina later that day. The two men had made plans to take them out to dinner later, and Evie had changed into a simple chiffon shirtdress for the occasion, as she didn't see the four of them going anywhere too fancy. Colby had had her make reservations for him and his girlfriend at a more upscale location. By now, Evie knew the main streets of New Orleans decently well enough, so they reached their destination with little fuss.

Evie held her iPad with 'Galina' written out in bright letters, smiling when she saw the other woman walking toward her. "Hello, Ms. Becker. I'm Evie."

Galina's smile was wide and genuine. "So nice to finally meet you!"

"You too! I thought it better to have your man wait for you in the car, since there are so many fans around."

Nodding, Galina relinquished her rolling bag and carry-on to the other woman, keeping her purse over her shoulder, as they eyed a group of rowdy men wearing DX shirts. "Probably a good idea."

"If you'll follow me?" Evie led the way, making sure not to move too quickly for the taller woman to follow. "Did you want to freshen up before dinner?"

"No, the flight from Pensacola wasn't all that long. Any clue where they're taking us?"

Shaking her head, Evie rolled her eyes. "Knowing them? Some sports bar."

"Oh, yay! Greasy burgers and potato skins!"

It was said sarcastically, but Evie's mouth watered at the thought. "Wow, that sounds really, really good."

"You think we can get away with it?"

Evie snorted. "First, your body is amazing. Second, they make me do Crossfit."

"Oh, hell yeah! We're totally eating good tonight!" Galina did a little dance that Evie soon joined, the two women laughing easily.

Arriving at the car, Evie placed Galina's bags in the trunk while she greeted Joe with a hug and sweet kiss. "So. . . Bar food?"

"What?" Joe chuckled. "Don't you want something healthy or local?"

Evie grinned as she slid behind the wheel. "Why don't we cover a bit of everything?"

When the others nodded or voiced their agreement, she quickly headed toward Crescent City Steaks. "I think y'all are gonna love this place."

As it turned out, the others enjoyed their meals very much. A family with two teenage sons and a daughter saw them eating, and Jon sent Evie over to let them know they would be happy to take pictures and such, as no one had bothered them while they ate. The mother had gushed that they didn't want to be rude or put anyone out, but the little blonde had simply smiled and thanked her for the consideration.

Now, Jon was sitting on Evie's bed in her room while Joe and Galina had excused themselves to his room in the suite upstairs. Jon didn't like Evie being two whole floors below the Shield's rooms, but she had only rolled her eyes and shook her head at his displeasure. She couldn't always be next door, and she outright refused to set up shop on their couch as he had suggested.

"Got somethin' for you." Jon dug in his pocket and pulled out a small box.

Evie frowned and shook her head. "You can't keep buying me things, Jon!"

"Is it my money?"

She sighed, but had to acquiesce. "Yes."

"So I can spend it on whoever the hell I want."

Evie nodded and took the box. Inside, she found a Pandora dangle charm featuring a flat disc with a feathered eye mask and the words 'New Orleans' in pretty cursive. She went up on her toes, kissing that spot on the corner of his mouth.

"This is so sweet. Thank you!"

He shrugged, still feeling her lips brushing his gently. "Wanted you to remember your first Wrestlemania."

She sank down on the bed and slipped it on the brown leather cord along with the others.

"So," he grinned and stretched out on her bed a few minutes later. "What're we watching tonight?"

Evie shrugged, stepping out of the bathroom now wearing a Shield shirt and a pair of leggings. "Want to watch _Firefly_?"

"That the show with the space cowboys?"

Nodding, she pulled it up on her computer before connecting it to the television. "Yeah, it's what happened before the movie we watched the other day."

He waited until the first episode started before pulling her down next to him and running his thumb over the raised line on her wrist.

She sighed. "Do I have to?"

"No," he shook his head before rolling to face her. "But I would like for you to trust me enough to talk about it."

Evie began playing with the charms on her bracelet, sliding them back and forth as she tried to figure out where to start. "After they took me away from my father, they kept me at the hospital for nearly a week."

"Why?"

"I was beat up pretty bad, and really underweight because he didn't like to feed me much. I was only four and a half feet tall, which is a bit short for that age, but not too bad. Only weighed 73 pounds, though, and they wanted to get some bulk on me."

"He didn't fuckin' feed you?" Jon's voice was dark, a grit leaking into it that he couldn't even be bothered to fight. He remembered what it was like to be hungry all the time.

"Baby, please just-"

"Sorry, Princess." He attempted to gentle his tone, his fingers lacing through hers to help keep him calm. "I'll try not to interrupt."

Nodding, she continued. "The judge put me with my mother's sister, even though I had never even met the woman. Her kids were just horrid, loud, lewd things who hated me on sight. My aunt was hateful and full of spite, though she tried to put on a self-sacrificing air for everyone else. She only took me in because it would look good to the neighbors and the church, since her husband was trying to take over as pastor.

"Anyway, they put me with her, and she just made things worse. Told me over the dinner table with everyone sitting around that the doctors had told her I'd never be able to have children. Like it was nothing." She ignored Jon's startled noise and pressed on. "That night, once everyone was in bed, I took the razor from the bathroom cabinet and began to slit my wrist, but didn't go through with it."

"Why not?"

Evie shrugged and smiled sardonically. "Because then my father and bitch of an aunt would win. Instead, I called the social worker's home number (she had given it to me a few days before) and told her what happened. After the ER visit and more meetings, I told the judge that I'd go through with it and really kill myself if they made me go back."

Jon nodded. "That's when Annette and Mike took you in?"

"They had fostered girls before, though not for long periods, so the judge felt comfortable sending me there until they figured out something permanent." Evie giggled. "They had thought they found something, my father's brother was willing to take me so he could get the check they'd send every month, but Daddy and Gavin met the social workers at the door and told them they'd have to shoot the two of them first."

"Wow," Jon dropped her hand and drew her firmly against his side. "That's balls!"

"Yeah," Evie sighed. "And that was after Daddy spent a week sitting on the floor outside my bedroom door because I had such bad nightmares that he wanted to be close if I needed him."

"Really?"

"Really. I'd wake up and find him sitting there when I went to the bathroom. When I asked him why, he just said that I'd been through too much alone already. That's when I stopped even trying to sleep at night." Snuggling against him, she enjoyed his warmth even through his shirt. "I'd go to school, come home, and just sleep. Started doing all the morning chores and getting everyone breakfast before school so no one got mad about me sleeping through afternoon stuff and, usually, dinner."

They watched the rest of the episode before Jon spoke again, quietly in the darkness of the room. "So, were they right?"

"Hmmm?" Evie looked away from the screen to see him studying her.

"Your aunt and the doctors? About you not being able to be a mom."

Evie smiled softly. "Oh, Jon. I don't have to get pregnant to be a mommy. But, no, they weren't right. Well, not really. My hormones were all out of whack from not being able to eat right, and they weren't sure if my heart had been damaged, but I've been able to eat well for the last thirteen years and take vitamins every day. My current doctor puts my chances of having my own natural children at around 40%."

Jon cleared his throat, not knowing why this mattered so much to him. "Do you want children?"

"Eventually," she shrugged. "Not right now, though."

Nodding, he let the topic drop as he smiled down at the top of her head now lying on his chest. "Hey."

When Evie looked up, he grasped her chin and dropped his mouth to hers in a leisurely caress of lips and tongue. He kept it short and sweet, wanting to give them time to get to know each other before they took it physical. He had been in more than his fair share of shit relationships, and they all started off extremely physical. Since he wanted this one to last longer than six months, Jon knew they had to take their time getting to know each other.

Evie sent Jon to his room around midnight, telling him to get some sleep so he would be well rested for the fan interactions and interviews before the Hall of Fame ceremony.

Unable to sit still after their conversation, she had finally shoved her feet into a pair of flats before she slipped out of the hotel. They were staying in a smaller place within the French Quarter, so she simply walked until she ended up at the Café du Monde. There, she spent the rest of the night sitting at a table under the iconic striped awning, people watching or reading as she sipped café au lait and ate beignets. When the sky began to turn pink and orange with another blazing spring sunrise in the Deep South, Evie bought a souvenir mug of iced café au lait and a container of beignets to go before making the pleasant walk back to the hotel.

Stopping at her room first, she changed into a grey Defend New Orleans t-shirt with the spiked and fleur-de-lis emblazoned skull across the front in brilliant black. Pulling on a short black skater skirt, she finished it off with a pair of black heels with satin ankle straps that wrapped around her ankles like ballet shoes. Pulling her hair into a messy bun, she left wisps to trail along her face and shoulders before applying her minimalist makeup of eyeliner and bright red lipstick.

She knocked on the suite's door at 7:00, smiling and holding up two carriers – one on top of the other with her own mug balanced on top – of Styrofoam cups from the lobby when Colby pulled it open. "I come bearing coffee!"

"You are amazing!" Galina greeted her with a smile, coming to take the top carrier and sit it on the table. "And you _look_ adorable!"

"Thank you," Evie pointed out the extra creams and sugars she had collected for the women since she didn't know their preferences. "I've got lots to do today and not a lot of down time until I have to get ready, so I wanted to both look good and be comfy."

Galina smiled. "Joe says I'm going to the spa in a bit?"

"You and Zahra both have massages, mani/pedi appointments, and hair styling sessions this afternoon." Evie nodded at Colby's girlfriend as she stepped out of the bedroom to join them.

"The guys are booked solid from nine until noon, so you two can hang out or shop or whatever until then. We'll meet up for lunch, then I'll take you girls to the spa while they do some more press and run through the entrance and such for tomorrow at the arena." Sipping her coffee, she smiled up at Joe and Jon as they joined them in the main room. "We'll be back here by 5 and ready to roll by 6:30 at the latest. There will be a late dinner after the ceremony this evening."

Zahra blinked owlishly. "Wow! How do you handle all this?!"

"Honey," Evie beamed. "I was _made_ for this shit."

Jon chuckled and tipped her head up with the back of his knuckles to ghost a kiss over the corner of her deep red lips. "Love the skirt, Princess."

"Thanks, Mr. J. I figured, I'm gonna be running around like a mad woman making sure you are where you're supposed to be, and then bringing you three water, pens, and the occasional snack. May as well look good doing it." It was only then that Evie realized everyone was staring at her and Jon. "Okay, what?"

"Uh," Joe grinned and motioned between the two of them. "When the hell did _this_ happen?"

"When I finally grew some damn balls," Jon chuckled. "Besides, you two knew I'd asked her out."

Colby nodded and sipped his coffee. "Yeah, but we didn't know how it went. You wouldn't tell us, remember?"

Jon rolled his eyes. "That's because not everything needs to be talked about. Let's get out of here. We need to hit the gym and have some breakfast."

After finishing at the gym and breakfast, Evie let the other women know where they would be meeting up for lunch and drove the men to the arena. A large area had been set up for the weekend, allowing the wrestlers to sit at tables placed in front of large nylon signs touting the event's name. The Shield was one of the more popular tables, with their sessions selling out quickly, and Evie made sure each man had cold water and extra pens as well as Sharpies before silently taking a seat on a stool behind them as security allowed the first man through.

It was fifteen minutes later when the first person recognized Evie. A small girl called out a hello to the blonde as she and her mother were stepping away from the booth. Evie looked up from her iPad (its case featuring a full length picture of Daria Morgendorffer and _The problem with going places, is that they aren't my room_ ) and smiled warmly at the pair. A few minutes later, a group of young men – all wearing LSU shirts – called out to her before reaching the table.

"Evie!" One of the guys called, grinning when she looked up. "You busy later? You should totally come out with us!"

"Yeah," a second student nodded enthusiastically. "We could show you a real good time!"

Shaking her head, Evie wasn't sure if Jon wanted people to know that they were seeing each other. She smiled anyway, falling back on politeness. "Thanks, but I can't. Busy later."

Jon raised his eyebrows and chomped his gum harshly. They hadn't said anything too risqué, but he didn't appreciate it all the same. He would have to do something about that if he didn't want guys hitting on Evie, though, and he knew it.

The rest of the morning went well, with a few people saying hello to Evie or asking if she'd be going out later, and they were eventually set free to go to lunch. Having two hours to eat, Evie soon had everyone sitting down at a table in Li'l Dizzy's Café. She was debating the merits of going full buffet instead of simply ordering a shrimp po'boy with Joe when Jon suddenly stiffened beside her.

Joe must have noticed too, as he straightened in his seat and focused on his friend. "What's up with you?"

"Those assholes from earlier are here."

Evie looked around, not seeing anyone particularly interesting. "What assholes from where?"

"The ones who were trying to talk to you at the signing." Jerking his head, Jon directed her attention to the table across the room where the LSU students from earlier were looking over their menus.

"Jon, they're just men hanging out and doing their thing." Evie patted his shoulder. "Not like I've never been hollered at before."

Galina snickered across the table while Zahra nodded her understanding. Evie was saved from elaborating when the waitress arrived to take their orders. While most of them decided on the buffet, Colby and Galina both wanted a cup of gumbo and the salad bar. It was while she was filling her plate that Evie got the first hint of trouble.

"Hey, pretty lady." One of the college boys had found his way to her side and smiled widely. "Decided to get out on your own for a bit?"

"No, sir." Evie motioned over her shoulder. "The guys are here for lunch. I just take longer to decide."

"Well that's no good," this voice belonged to another student who sidled up to her other side. "They have really good food here, though, so it takes me a minute too."

While Evie made pleasant enough conversation at the buffet tables, Jon watched from his seat with a glowering frown. "Look at these assholes!"

"Dude," Colby chuckled and shook his head. "It's not like they know."

Standing, Jon tossed his napkin down.

Joe looked up, confused. "What're you doing?"

Jon shrugged. "Giving them a clue."

Evie had just answered a question about what time the boys should plan on arriving at the arena for the HOF ceremony that evening when one asked if she would like to go for drinks afterward. Before she could answer, a strong arm wrapped around her waist from behind and Jon's familiar scent eased her surprise. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and suggested she get one of the po'boy segments before loping back off to the table.

"Oh shit, dude!" The second student looked at the first, a stunned expression on his face.

The first blinked quickly before focusing back on Evie. "I'm sorry, ma'am. Didn't realize the two of you are together."

Evie just smiled and nodded before selecting a bit of sandwich and joining the rest of the group. "That was mean."

"No," Jon shook his head. "Punching one of the little assholes in the face before giving them a warning. _That_ would have been mean."

The assembled group burst out laughing and then tore into their lunch with gusto.

O:O:O:O:O:

Evie was dressed and ready exactly five minutes before Jon knocked on her door. They would be meeting the others in the lobby in a few moments in order to ride to the ceremony together, but he had a surprise for her first. That was made more difficult the moment she opened the door.

Jon nearly forgot his own name.

The dress was a soft light blue and ended just about her knees with layers of chiffon over a satin underskirt. The simple bodice was tight to the waist and more of the same chiffon formed an almost boatneck as it draped around her shoulders. She had braided and twisted her hair up into some pretty style with sparkly combs, the only other jewelry a pair of small pearl earrings and her bracelet.

"You look amazing, Princess," he breathed just before his lips met hers in a soft kiss.

Evie giggled, feeling her cheeks heat with a blush. Jon's blue eyes sparkled at her, his sandy blonde curls framing them nicely. He had left his scruff from earlier, and she couldn't help reaching up to scratch her nails over his prickly jaw. When he grinned at her, his dimples standing in stark relief, she leaned up and pressed a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth she loved so much.

"You are devastatingly handsome tonight."

Jon's eyes went wide and he suddenly found her shimmering sky high heels very interesting. "You can't just say that shit."

"Why not? It's true."

He snorted, finally getting himself under control, before straightening and holding out yet another box. "Got something for you."

"Jon," Evie began to protest yet another gift. Catching the look on his face, she sighed and accepted it.

This charm stopped her breath for a moment before her hand flew to her chest and she looked up at him with her wide green eyes. It was Cinderella's pumpkin coach. A little gold crown sat atop the round enclosure, with wheels that appeared to be attached with little silver vines. The lines on the pumpkin were inset with tiny crystals so that it sparkled in the light.

"Oh, _Jon_!" She felt tears prick at the corner of her eyes, and she blinked hurriedly to keep them from falling. "Oh, I just love it!"

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she held him tight while he hugged her in return.

"You okay?"

Evie laughed and nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay. It's just so sweet."

He shrugged. "Just don't tell anybody else that."

"Your secret's safe with me, baby." Evie winked and took a moment to slip her new charm on the bracelet before making sure her phone was in her small clutch purse along with her lipstick.

Jon waited for her to shut the door before taking her hand and slipping it through his own elbow, strutting easily down the hall. He was glad, for once, that there would be so many cameras around that evening. He wanted every one of the people who had ever treated him as if he weren't good enough to see him with such a pretty girl on his arm. Maybe he'd even let Joe or Colby post a picture of the two of them together.


	14. Dancing, Dinner, Discussions!

Evie sighed and stretched, loving that she was able to stretch on her own front porch. She listened to the sound of the wind through the trees, their sighing and rustling soothing her as she went through the motions to loosen her legs and hips. Leaving her headphones at home for once, she secured her phone in its armband just in case she was needed for something and started out at an easy pace.

As her speed increased, Evie let her mind wander to the weekend past. The Hall of Fame ceremony had driven her to both laughter and tears, causing Jon to chuckle and squeeze her hand when she removed a handkerchief from her small clutch purse to dab at her eyes. Galina's manicured fingers had reached across Joe and Jon towards the blonde, and another lacy square of cloth had been deposited into her palm.

There had been a reception after the ceremony in the ballroom of the beautiful Bourbon Orleans Hotel with dinner served buffet style. Carriages drawn by horses had taken the Superstars and guests from the arena to the hotel, and Jon had taken great pleasure in watching Evie's face light up as they rattled over the streets. A few people had turned to watch them go, and Evie had waved happily when a few younger women called out a hello to 'Cinderella'.

Jon had introduced her to Dusty Rhodes as "my girl", which had sent her into a blushing mess for a moment. The wrestling legend had simply laughed and pulled her into a fatherly hug before stealing her away for a turn around the floor as the string quartet began to play. When he brought her back to Jon, she was beaming with the compliments he'd given both herself and Jon as they moved slowly along the polished floor. She was given the same treatment by Jake "the Snake" Roberts, though he asked if she were interested in running away with an old man. Dallas Page had chuckled at his friend and then gave a nod to Jon before doing the exact same, though his moves were a lot smoother and practiced as he dipped and twirled her to the delight of the spectators.

"Having fun?" Smiling, Jon had taken her hand and led her back out onto the floor after the older men had moved on.

Evie, smiling and giggling, had nodded. "Uh-huh! Thank you so much for bringing me!"

"Like I could come to a ballroom without my princess?" With that, he dipped her and twirled at the same time, so that a few of the onlookers gasped and she came up laughing.

" _Where_ did you learn how to dance like this?!"

He had grinned widely. "A bunch of the guys in Dragon Gate Wrestling took ballroom dancing. Helped with timing in the ring."

Evie smiled. "Did all the guys learn how to do this?"

He shrugged and did the dip/spin again. "I might have signed up for extra lessons."

Even now, jogging up the steep incline and forcing herself to go farther than she had the last few times she'd run outside, Evie couldn't help but chuckle to herself.

She had passed the overlook by two miles when she decided to take a looping trail back down. It would take her down to the little store that sat about a mile up from her own home. Trail running was a bit more difficult than the asphalt of the road, but she was feeling up to the challenge.

Part of the trail had been washed out by melting snow and an early spring storm, and she slid a bit. Her hands a bit scuffed and her leggings slightly dusty, Evie made it off the trail nearly an hour after she started down. A flower delivery van was just leaving her driveway as she entered her property, and she didn't bother to fight the smile.

On her porch, sitting on the table in the deepest part of the shade, she found a tall crystal vase. Tall red and white flowers that almost looked like tiger lilies were mixed with small red and yellow blooms. Brilliant yellow bells accented the arrangement while cones of tiny purple buds formed a beautiful backdrop for the entire thing. The card, written in Jon's strong hand, said simply: _'Vervain, Amaryllis, Yellow Jasmine, Austrian Rose'_.

Taking the vase inside, she retrieved her book. "Vervain for enchantment. Amaryllis for pride. Yellow Jasmine for elegance and grace, and the Austrian rose meaning 'you are all that is lovely'."

The phone was ringing before she really thought of calling him.

Jon was well into his desert run, his heart pounding and his chest glistening with sweat, when his phone rang. "Hey, Princess."

"Are you okay?" His voice sounded rushed and his breath short.

"I'm good. Just mid run."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Evie frowned. "Just got home from my own and found a very lovely surprise waiting on me."

Jon chuckled, taking the opportunity to stretch his back and legs while they spoke. "Glad you liked them."

"I love them! They're so pretty and smell so good."

Chuckling, Jon invited her out to dinner that night. "We've got house shows all weekend and then the Warrior tribute show will be on Monday. After that, we only got a couple shows before the Easter weekend break."

Evie frowned and got a cup of cool water. "How's everyone doing with that?"

"Pretty good, I guess." Jon sighed. "I mean, he was a huge influence on a lot of us, but we didn't know him personally, you know?"

"Yeah, I understand."

Clearing his throat, Jon felt his muscles starting to cool down and wanted to finish the conversation before that happened. "Look, I have to get back to my run, but are we on for dinner?"

"Oh, right. Sorry!" Evie shook her head at herself. "Yes, we're on for dinner. Where did you want to meet?"

"My place? At 7?"

"Sounds good. Should I dress up or what?"

Jon chuckled. "Well, I'm wearing jeans and taking you to a honkytonk after we eat. So. . ."

Laughing, Evie said her goodbyes before heading up the stairs to get a shower and change before her appointment in the city that afternoon.

She ended up pulling on a light tan, off the shoulder dress with a layered prairie skirt that ended at her knees. The cowgirl boots were darker brown to match the braided leather belt around her waist. Her turquois and silver earrings were the only pieces of jewelry other than the bracelet she only removed when working out or showering. She had coiled her hair and pinned it in a messy bun at the top of her head while it was still wet so that it would dry in waves before meeting Jon for dinner. She kept her makeup light, though she stashed different colors in her purse for later.

She arrived at the small adobe building nearly an hour after leaving her home. Dr. Cheryl Ellis had been her therapist since she moved to Las Vegas nearly eight years earlier. She had come highly recommended by the therapist who had worked with Evie for the five or six years since she left her father's house. Dr. Ellis had been there as she struggled to adapt to college life, and had been a comfort when her first real boyfriend went running for the hills the first time his hand had ghosted under her shirt. Now, while she didn't visit her every week as she once did, Evie went to see her once a month in order to maintain some level of routine and as a way to keep tabs on her own mental health.

"Hello, Evelyn," Dr. Ellis nodded kindly and welcomed her into the office quietly. She was always quiet, as if a raised voice would shatter the very walls around them. "How is the job going?"

"Really well, actually." Evie sank into the overstuffed chair in front of the doctor's desk. "It's really busy, but fun at the same time. I have a lot to do for three people, but it's still cool."

"What's his name?"

Evie blinked. "Whose name?"

"The man who has you grinning the way you are." Dr. Ellis smiled. "I've been a psychologist since 1975 and a mother for almost as long. I know these things."

"His name is Jonathon. Jon. Dean Ambrose on TV." Evie grinned.

"Ah, he is quite attractive." The doctor nodded, a twinkle in her eyes. "Very nice arms."

"Yeah," she sighed. "And very sweet."

Dr. Ellis, obviously picking up on her tone of voice, sat forward in her chair. "And you don't think you deserve him?"

"I don't know. I know there's nothing wrong with me mentally, and that I'm built okay, but I just worry."

"About what?"

"That I won't be enough for him." Evie swallowed a gulp of her iced coffee to give herself time to think. "I'm scared that he won't want me once he knows that I'm not experienced."

"First, I want you to know that being a virgin is nothing to be ashamed of. Plenty of people are in their twenties before they have sexual intercourse for the first time. Second, if this man is worth your time, then he'll be willing to take things at your pace and respect you as a person first. Lastly, I don't know that any man would necessarily hate the thought of being a pretty girl's first lover."

"But what about the . . . other stuff?" Chewing her lip, Evie drew her knitting from her bag and began working as she spoke. "I don't think a guy like Jon will be too excited about sleeping with a girl who keeps her shirt on the whole time."

"Well, probably not!" Shaking her head, the doctor smiled comfortingly. "My advice is to tell him about your lack of physical experience first, feel out the situation and see where that leads. When you're ready, or if a situation arises that calls for it, you discuss all the other things you need to let him know about. He does know about your past, correct?"

Evie nodded, counting stitches quietly in her head as she went. "Yes, I've told him about some of the abuse, and he knows I was adopted as a teenager."

"That's good, then." Dr. Ellis then leaned back in her chair. "Now, tell me about your stress levels."

O:O:O:O:O:

Evie left the doctor's office feeling lighter and a little more at ease with her budding relationship with Jon. Dr. Ellis had been suitably impressed with his gifts of flowers and the charms, stating that it was a good sign that he was learning what she liked instead of just doing run-of-the-mill things. Now, she had nearly four hours to kill before she was to meet him for their date. Knowing that they would be eating together, she decided to avoid having a snack and instead spent the time mostly window shopping.

There were a few things she just couldn't pass up, so she purchased them and then locked them in the trunk of her car before popping into a mall bathroom to remove and then re-apply her makeup for the evening. Her eye shadow was made dark and smoky while her lips were painted a blush pink. Letting her hair down, she gave the waves a light spritz with the small bottle of hairspray she kept in her purse. Once satisfied, she fairly skipped to her car and made it to his place with ten minutes to spare.

Jon had just put the large pot of water on to boil when there was a quick knock at his front door. Glancing at his clock, he grinned at her promptness. Turning the fire under the sauce down to low, he wiped his hands on a towel and went to let her in.

Evie smiled up at him, and he grinned happily in return. "You look great tonight, Darlin'."

She snorted and rolled her eyes as he stepped aside and motioned her past him. "You always say that, Jon."

"And I'm never lying." He pressed a kiss to the crown of her head as he moved around her and led her into the kitchen. "Hope you don't mind, but I thought we could eat here first?"

"Sounds good to me. What're we having?" Evie noticed that their accents were playing off each other and becoming slightly more pronounced as they spoke, both completely comfortable with where they were.

"Um," Jon was suddenly uncomfortable with what he had picked. Maybe he should've just ordered in instead of actually trying to impress her. "Just spaghetti and salads."

"Oh, I love spaghetti!"

"Really?"

"Uh-huh!" Evie grinned and deposited her purse on the counter by the wall so it wouldn't be in the way. "I once spent two months eating almost nothing but Mom's spaghetti."

"Well, I'm not gonna say that my cookin' is anywhere close to as good as your mom's, but I can make this pretty well."

Evie laughed. "Well, what can I do to help?"

Jon put her on salad duty while he finished the main course, and she spent the next few minutes slicing vegetables and tossing them with lettuce before setting the table. Jon had offered her beer or iced tea, so she chose the latter before sliding into her seat. He plated generous servings for them both and joined her at the small table.

Evie was halfway through her dinner when she finally got the nerve to broach the subject that had been on her mind since leaving her doctor's office. "So, we need to talk."

Jon nearly choked on the noodles and sauce he'd just put in his mouth. "What'd I do?!"

"No!" She hurried to reassure him. "Nothing like that. I just have to tell you something, and I'm not sure how you're going to take it."

Jon set his fork down, training his crystalline blue eyes on her. "Why? What'd you do?"

"It's not what I've done," she sighed and began twisting her fingers in her lap. "It's more like what I _haven't_ done."

He made a bit of a sound, so she continued. "Jon, I'm a virgin. And I know that's some sort of huge responsibility, and you're probably trying to figure out what's wrong with me, and now you probably don't want anything to do with me because I really have no idea what I'm doing past kissing you, and I really _really_ like kissing you, and my psychologist said I needed to tell you so we could figure out what we were really doing with each other and if our goals for the future matched up before we took this huge step together."

Jon blinked as he watched Evie speak from his seat across the table. He did have a few questions, but she was speaking so quickly that he couldn't get a word in edgewise. She eventually ran out of steam and stopped talking with a tiny bit of a shrug. She didn't look up from her lap, however, and that bothered him.

"Princess," he spoke softly and waited until he saw her pretty green eyes. "I have a few questions, and I need you to be honest."

She nodded. "Of course."

"Have I done anything that you weren't comfortable with?"

"No, not at all! Not ever!"

He was able to breathe easier now that he knew. "Good. I don't want to ever make you feel like you have to do something just to please me. Everything else, we can figure out."

"Yeah?"

He grinned easily. "Darlin', being your first is a huge deal and a great responsibility because I want things to be good for you. But, I think I'm up to the task. I'm not going to call this off just because you're not as experienced as some other girls are. Hell, I wouldn't want you if you were just some whore."

She nodded quietly and felt at ease enough to begin eating again as he spoke. "So you're okay with going a little slow while I figure things out?"

"Princess, I want things to last between us. Rushing into things doesn't seem to work for me at all, so letting you hold the reins on this one is probably the best thing for us anyway." Jon returned to eating as she mulled over what he had said.

"So, you want me to stick around for a while?" She wasn't sure why she needed the reassurance, but she sought it out anyway.

"Let's just say that I am increasingly happy with the thought of you being my last first kiss."

Blushing, she sipped her tea. "How are you this perfect?"

Jon snorted a laugh. "There are a lot of people who would disagree with you on that one, babe. I started wrestling when I was 16, women in the Indies were pretty much of the free and easy variety, so that's what I got used to. Since you're nothing like them, I guess I'm just doing things as opposite to how I used to be as I can."

"I knew your reputation before you asked me out, you know." Evie smiled at his surprised expression. "It's kind of hard not to hear about some things."

"And?"

"I thought I'd give you one date and then see how things went." She shrugged elegantly. "You were just too sweet, and I thought maybe you had grown out of a lot of your wildness."

"The craziness is still there, Evie."

She smiled and nodded. "And it probably always will be. You don't come out of that sort of childhood with all your marbles where they should be. But I think you're tempered with experience and patience now."

Conceding her point, Jon let the conversation lull into comfortable silence as they finished their dinner.

"I've got dishes," Evie smiled. "You cooked!"

"I've got a dishwasher for a reason," he protested lightly. "Let it do its job."

"Then you'll have to let me cook for you sometime," Evie smiled.

"Twist my arm, why don't ya." Leaning down, he kissed her lightly as he passed on his way into the kitchen.

After touching up her lipstick, Evie was ready to leave. Jon took her to the Boots n Spurs Saloon to listen to the various live country bands that played there every Wednesday and to dance for a while. She had never been two-stepping before, so it took her a bit longer to get the steps down, and they laughed at her flubs until it clicked. Then, they moved around the floor with ease.

Evie was unsurprised to see pictures of the two of them on Twitter later that night.

The two of them had taken a cab to the honkytonk, as they would both be drinking, and so they caught another one back to Jon's apartment. Evie knew she wouldn't be driving home before the sun came up, as Jon had to loop his arm around her waist in order to hold her upright as they moved up the stairs to his place. She had grown giggly and flirtatious as the night went on, though she was cautious to remain sober enough not to make a fool of herself.

"C'mon, Princess." Jon led her down the hall in his apartment to his bedroom. "Let's put on comfy clothes and watch a movie."

"But I don't have any." Evie yawned and then frowned.

"I'll find you something, okay?"

"Okay," she nodded and sank down on the edge of his bed.

Evie worked her boots off and set them off to the side while he turned to find her something to wear to bed. Rummaging through his drawers, he smirked and pulled an old shirt out of the bottom most section of his dresser. When he turned to hand it to her, she sort of frowned before shrugging and taking it from him and slipping into the bathroom to take care of her personal needs and change.

Jon was settling into bed, a movie cued up on the television, when Evie stepped into the room. His old CZW shirt, its yellow and red logo a bit cracked with age and repeated washings, hung off her shoulder alluringly and fell to her thighs. Her legs were smooth and lightly tanned. The small white socks she'd left on adding to the look enough that Jon chuckled and shook his head as she slid under the sheets beside him.

"What?" She raised an eyebrow as she made herself comfortable against the pillows behind her.

Shaking his head, he pressed play on the remote and sank down beside her. "You're just about the most adorable thing I've ever seen in my life."

"Huh?" Confused, she looked away from the opening title sequence of _Die Hard_ and focused on Jon's clear blue eyes.

Shaking his head, he captured her lips in a gentle kiss. "Like the way you look in my shirt."

"'s really comfy." Evie blushed and then lifted her lips to his for another brief caress.

Running his fingers through her hair for a moment, he cupped the back of her head and kissed her long and deep. "You should keep it."

"Yeah?"

He settled back against the pillows, shrugging in a way that he hoped was casual, and then sighing in contentment as she tucked herself against his chest. "Give you something to hang out in when we're on the road."

A while later, the last thing either of them heard was the sound of each other talking along with the movie sleepily. "A hundred million terrorists in the world, and I gotta kill one with feet smaller than my sister."

 **Thoughts on Evie's revelation? Ideas of how things will progress from here?**


	15. Bunbun

Raw was being held in Birmingham, Alabama, that week and Evie silently cursed the humidity that bathed everything even in mid-April. Her thin top clung to her sweat slicked body as she pushed herself harder. Even with the large rolling doors open, the Crossfit class was toiling without any air flow. Just as she was about to stop for a breath, someone took pity and flipped on the large fans at either end of the room. With that bit of relief, Evie finished her last overhead squats before dropping the weight bar and collapsing to the floor.

"You okay, Princess?" Jon was standing over her, drinking deeply from his water bottle and offering her another.

Evie nodded weakly. "Think they'd mind if I just slept right here?"

Chris – their instructor for the day – stopped beside them. "Wouldn't be the first time that's happened. We call it AMNAP (As Much Napping as Possible) around here. Need a hand up?"

"C'mere," Jon helped her up and gave her the water as Joe and Colby joined them. "We'll get some breakfast, and then you can sleep."

Evie nodded and hobbled over to a bench so the guys could take pictures and have conversations with some of the others. She had increased her weights that day, and felt it in every fiber of her being. Her shoulders and arms throbbed and felt ten times as large as they appeared as she struggled to bring the bottle up to her lips.

"Doing okay?" The girl that sat next to her was tall, with broad shoulders and a pretty smile. "You looked 'bout ready to keel over."

"Felt like it for a second there." Wincing, Evie slowly rotated her shoulders. "Upped my weights today."

"Oh, that's always a tough time. Probably need to go light tomorrow." Nodding, the woman gestured to the men now shaking hands and accepting t-shirts from one of the box owners. "At least you have eye candy."

"That's true," Evie grinned as Jon tossed her a light pink tank top with a logo emblazoned across the front and the silhouette of a flexing woman on the back. "Thanks, baby."

He gave a nod of greeting to the other blonde before focusing on Evie. "Need a shower before food?"

"If I get clean, I'm sleeping."

He chuckled. "Fair enough."

The entire time they spoke, the other blonde stared at Jon. Her eyes trailed over his naked chest and lingered on the dents at the top of his low slung shorts. When he shifted his weight, she tilted her head as she openly admired the way those shorts fit his backside. In response, Evie slipped her hand into his and widened her eyes at the woman in an exaggerated stare as they joined Joe and Colby at the door.

Jon, seeing the look on her face, looked around in confusion. "What's up?"

"Nothin'," she shook her head with a smile and finished off her water as they walked to the car. "Don't worry your pretty lil' head about it."

Colby snorted and let her get several feet ahead before smirking at Jon. "I think she was telling that other woman to keep her hands to herself."

Realizing that Evie was at least a little possessive and had been warning the other woman off, Jon chuckled and let his shoulders roll back languidly as he walked. Ignoring the other men's laughter at his antics, he slid into the passenger seat and waited for them to catch up.

Evie had, of course, done her research and knew where to take them for lunch after an intense workout. Jinsei Sushi was a superb choice, as it allowed them to fill up on healthy fare while she indulged a bit with kobi beef. (If they got a few looks from other patrons for showing up sweaty and still wearing gym attire, they didn't notice.) After they finished eating, she drove them back to the hotel where the guys rode the elevator with her to the 3rd floor before continuing to the top.

The rest of the day went just as smoothly, with Evie getting a peaceful sleep before driving them to the arena for Raw. The Shield's feud with the newly reformed Evolution was heating up nicely, and the fans were buying their merch by the armload and screaming for them more loudly than anyone else. After the show, she hauled all of their bags to the rented SUV while the Shield took pictures and signed autographs for those who had waited around outside the parking lot. It was nearly midnight when they all piled into their chosen seats and went in search of some late night food before hitting the road for Tennessee.

Nashville, Tennessee, was always an interesting place to visit, and the Shield boys were only going to be featured in a dark match after the Smackdown tapings were finished. They would be starting at 7:00, so Evie was planning on them being out of the arena by 10:00. Colby would be flying home at midnight, while Joe and Jon had flights leaving an hour or so later. Evie would be dropping them off at the airport before making the drive up to Smith's Grove, Kentucky, to see her family for the Easter holiday since there were no live events planned until Monday.

Arriving at the hotel in Nashville, Evie made sure the men were settled in their rooms for the night before dropping her own bags off and changing clothes. They had an autograph signing in one of the local malls at noon, but were otherwise free for the day, and she wanted them to get as much sleep as possible before hand. As they had checked in at a few minutes after three in the morning, they would be able to get six whole hours of uninterrupted sleep before Colby had them awake to hit the hotel gym. They had been awake for most of the drive, laughing and just having a bit of fun, and she knew they needed to be able to let off that kind of steam as they traveled from town to town.

She took out her contacts and pulled on a pair of comfortable leggings along with a Shield shirt and Jon's hoodie before slipping on a pair of shoes and grabbing her huge purse. Café Coco, a coffee shop she had visited while in the area before, was open all day every day and located a block away from where they were staying for the night. Evie knew that she was going to be awake all night and fancied a bit of anonymous company from other night owls.

Ordering a hot drink called the Adrenaline Rush (a four shot latte with caramel and vanilla flavoring) and a piece of truly decadent chocolate cake, Evie sat at a little table on the covered patio. A soft rain had begun to fall as she was walking to the coffee shop, and the sky opened in earnest as she sipped her drink. There were a few people cycling on the stage for the open mike night, their guitars strumming lightly and jangling along to their country twangs. After finishing her cake, she retrieved her knitting and sat back to enjoy the easy and open atmosphere of the night.

O:O:O:O:O:

"Ah, _mo chroi_ ," Stephen shook his head playfully as the group climbed out of the cars. "Why must you wound me, so?!"

Evie shook her head and patted him playfully on the shoulder. "Because I rode with you once and that was enough. No more driving for you!"

"I warned you, luv." Stu chuckled and aimed a playful punch at his Irish friend's shoulder. "This arse can't be bothered to stay on the right side of the road!"

Jon frowned, watching the two men closely as they joked with the diminutive woman. Their easy friendship with Evie made him uneasy. What if she decided she wanted nothing to do with the scruffy Cincinnati native when she could easily choose one of them? They were both good looking men with better reputations, impeccable manners with women, and killer accents that he had seen more than one woman swoon over.

Putting himself at her right side while she was busy talking, he let his knuckles graze hers lightly. When she turned her hand and interlocked their fingers, he gave a slight grin. She may have been speaking with them, but it was his hand she was holding, her thumb rubbing along his skin in a comforting glide.

"Evelyn!" A bright voice called out as the group walked down the block toward where they would be eating lunch. The man to whom it belonged waved happily and jogged up the sidewalk toward them. "Hi!"

Evie broke into a wide grin, stepping away from the others and throwing her arms out in welcome. "Oh my God! Pax!"

Jon and the others looked on as the short blonde was lifted off her feet and brought into a joyous hug. The new man was tall, though still a few inches shorter than Jon, and thin in the way that runners are. He sported a head of messy red curls that brushed his forehead and ears as he set Evie down. The sleeves of his crisp white dress shirt were folded back neatly to his elbows, and her hands rested on his bare forearms as her feet touched the ground.

"What're you doing here?!" Evie fairly squealed, bouncing on the balls of her feet before catching sight of Jon's confused face. "Actually, no, wait. Come meet everyone first!"

Pulling the newcomer over to the others, she smiled widely. "Pax, this is Jon, Joe, Colby, Claudio, Stephen, Stu, and Nick. Guys, meet Paxton."

Pax shook everyone's hand and then motioned over his shoulder to the restaurant behind him. "Going to lunch?"

"Yes! You eat yet?" Evie's accent turned the question into a single word.

He shook his head. "Nah. Been busy."

Wrapping her arm through Pax's, Evie slipped her hand into Jon's to continue on to the restaurant.

Seeing the confused looks on the faces of those around him, Jon decided to broach the subject. "So. . . How do you two know each other?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Evie shook her head at her uncharacteristic forgetfulness before deciding it must have been the shock and surprise and smiling up at him. "Pax here is Gavin's boyfriend."

"Oh, cool." Jon nodded before he jerked to a stop, causing Evie and then Pax to nearly stumble as the group halted around him. "Wait, what?!"

Evie's smile lit her face, and she nodded happily as if Jon should have known this information all along.

"Paxton is Gav's boyfriend. Has been for . . ." Evie frowned up at the redhead in thought. "Three years?"

"Two years, 7 months, and nine days." Pax chuckled as they filed into the restaurant and sat at a huge, round table. "Which is why I took the day off work and drove all the way down here from Louisville."

"Why? Running away?"

"No," slipping a small black box from his pocket, Pax flipped it open and set it on the table. "Had to pick up a ring, and couldn't find one I liked up home."

The ring was thick, yet simple. The band was a pretty, dark wood with a thin ribbon of gold running around its length. She could see an engraving of their intertwined initials inside.

"Are you serious?!"

Pax nodded, smiling softly as he tucked it back into his pocket. "Talked to your daddy about it last month."

"Why'd you have to talk to her dad?" Joe raised an eyebrow in confusion.

Paw shrugged. "I figured it was only right, since I was doin' the asking. And it's not like Gavin would voluntarily speak with my father."

Jon had been silent the whole time, mulling over the information he'd been given in silence before turning in his seat to stare at Evie. "So, your brother's gay? For how long?!"

Evie snorted and shrugged. "For always, I guess? But he came out five years ago."

"Huh," frowning, he looked over the menu while he thought. "He didn't tell me that."

"Oh!" Pax chuckled. "You're _the_ Jon! I was wondering! Gav said you were cute, in a dirty, city kinda way."

" _Paaaaax!_ " Evie whined and buried her face in her hands. "I _cannot_ _believe_ you just said that!"

"What?! It's true!" Pax leaned forward to meet Jon's eyes. "And don't worry. He wasn't checking you out past making sure you were okay to be around Bunbun."

"Oh, God!" Evie all but shouted as the men around them erupted in laughter. "Why did you have to call me that?!"

" _Bunbun?!_ " Colby interrupted for the first time. "Nonono! You have to tell us what that's all about!"

Evie sighed in horrified resignation, knowing that the subject of her nickname wouldn't be dropped until it was explained. "When I first moved to the farm, I was really small and just sort of hid places."

"Gav said she would just skitter around all over the barnyard, and she looked so cute with her white blonde hair and tiny little nose, that he started calling her bunny. It got shortened to bunbun somewhere along the way."

"Don't worry, Princess," Jon chuckled and pressed a kiss to the side of her head as the waitress arrived to take their orders. "They'll only tease you for a little while."

"How long's 'a little while'?"

Joe chuckled from his seat beside Jon. "A decade or two."

Nick leaned over after the waitress left, his bleached hair hidden under a slouchy cap. "Hey man, let me be the first to congratulate you!"

Pax thanked him and shook his proffered hand firmly. "Thank you! I'm just glad that Mike and the rest of the McCallisters are more accepting than my own family."

Evie rolled her eyes. "I love you, Pax, but your family is messed up."

"I know. Tried to talk to my dad about marrying your brother a few weeks ago, and got a black eye and a busted rib for my troubles." It was Pax's turn to roll his eyes and sighed quietly. "I was never good enough for that asshole."

Evie tilted her head to rest on his shoulder with a sigh. "Well, it's a good thing you're gonna be one of us, then."

"Yep. Your dad pretty much demanded I take Gav's last name." Pax snorted at everyone's look. "What? Not all straight, white, hetero men from Kentucky are redneck asshole homophobes! And I have it on good authority that I got off a lot easier than Gail's husband when it came to that talk."

Evie giggled. "Well, Daddy didn't like the idea of her marrying a boy going into basic training right after they graduated. And it _did_ take Daddy a little time to get used to the idea of Gavin being attracted to men, but then he decided that he was okay with Gavin being gay, as long as he was still manly about it."

Paxton's lips twitched up at the corners. "Well - !"

"Oh, ew!" Evie covered his mouth with her hand. "I do _not_ want to know!"

"Just wish the rest of the state felt the same way as your dad," Pax sighed. "We'll have to find some other place to have the ceremony."

Claudio frowned. "In my country, we have registered partnership, which isn't exactly the same as marriage, but close. But it is country-wide and not just here and there."

"Could always come to Vegas." Jon grinned. Once the shock of the news had worn off, Jon was comfortable with the situation and wanted to help. "Gays are good to marry in Nevada."

"Oh!" Evie pressed a kiss to his cheek before turning to Pax. "You could get married at a chapel or in the desert. Hell, do it the right time of year, and we could set y'all up with hunting big horn sheep or bear!"

Chuckling, her soon-to-be-in-law nodded. "I'll be sure to mention it to him after I do the asking."

The rest of lunch went smoothly, with Pax fitting in surprisingly well with the jovial men. Jon would drop his hand from time to time to squeeze her thigh lightly, and Evie would brush her knee against his under the table if she felt it had been too long between squeezes.

When Evie excused herself to visit the lady's room, Paxton turned to focus his full attention on Jon's suddenly wary face. "So?"

"What?" Jon sipped his tea quietly.

Pax snorted. "Please don't confuse gay with stupid. Don't act like I didn't see what you two were doing over there."

"Okay," Jon cleared his throat and wished that this conversation wasn't happening in front of the others.

As if he understood why Jon was uncomfortable, Paxton nodded. "You _do_ know that I see her as a sister, right?"

"Yeah, I get that."

"And you realize that her brother, father, and I all own guns, and that her brother-in-law is currently deployed in Afghanistan, right?"

"Figured as much," Jon couldn't help cracking a smile.

"Bit of friendly information?" Pax dropped his voice and leaned in so the Jon was forced to grasp the gravity of his next words. "Pigs will eat _anything_."

While Jon didn't appreciate being threatened, he understood that the older man was just trying to protect a girl he saw as a sister. Nodding, Jon couldn't help but grin just a little. "I'm not gonna do anything that's gonna end up with me in a trough."

Pax laughed and slapped the table jovially as he straightened in his chair. "Good, then!"

"What's good?" Evie returned, sliding into her seat between the two men.

"Nothin', Princess." Jon smiled as the rest of the men did their best to hide their laughter. "Pax was just letting me know where I stand with him and your brother."

"What?"

Jon nodded and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Don't worry about it, Darlin'. 's all good."

While Pax had to return to Louisville that night in order to return to work the next day, he promised Evie that he'd be with Gavin for Easter festivities.

Smackdown went smoothly, and Evie watched as her charges took care of business in a dark match against the Wyatts before fanning out around the ring to take photos and sign autographs before hitting the locker rooms for showers since they had already checked out of the hotel. She waited for them to toss her their ring gear and then trudged down to wardrobe to make sure it all got put where it needed to go. Assuring Sandra that Joe's vest now fit him perfectly with no problems, she helped keep each man's clothes separate until they were packaged correctly for laundering. That task finished, she scurried back to the locker room.

Snagging her small bag, she skipped across to where the women were dressing. "Hey, girls. Mind if I change in here?"

Nikki smiled and shook her head. "Knock yourself out!"

Taking her bag to the back of the room, Evie made sure she could see everyone in the room as she laid out her short sleeved, cotton sundress. When she was sure that no one was staring at her, she pulled off the sweater she had worn all day and slipped the dress over her head quickly. She wiggled her jeans past her hips before sitting down to finish removing the uncomfortable denim from her thighs and then calves.

"Cute dress!" Danielle smiled from where she was tying her shoes.

"Thanks." Pulling a long, tan cardigan over her shoulders (Jon had taken his hoodie back on the way to the gym that morning), Evie smiled as she pushed her feet into the scuffed brown cowgirl boots and then repacked her bag neatly with the clothes she'd just removed. "Just couldn't stand the thought of jeans anymore today."

"Hitting the hotel or got a plane to catch?" April had taken her ring gear back to Sandra and was busily packing her bags.

"Colby has a plane at midnight and the others are out an hour or so after him, so we'll be hanging out for a while before they have to take off. At least have time to get something good to eat." Finished with her bag, Evie zipped it and slung it over her shoulder. "I've got an hour drive ahead of me, but I'll be home for the next while until Raw in Baltimore."

Danielle and April, who had ridden together and were taking flights out at about the same time, accompanied Evie down the hall to where the Shield guys were waiting. "It's gonna be nice to finally get more than a day and a half to get some rest!"

Looking at the taller blonde, Evie nodded. "The boys need to get some good, solid sleep without having to try to fit everything else in as well."

April giggled. "I'm gonna snuggle my puppies and my man and just stay in bed for a week!"

Wishing each other a happy Easter, the women parted ways and Evie ducked into the locker room to grab her bags.

Jon was just pulling on his black cowboy boots when Evie knocked and then stepped into the room. The dress she wore twirled around her knees as she walked, the little red wildflowers scattered over it in random little clumps along with the lacy edge of her skirt made him grin. He'd never dated such a feminine woman before, as his past relationships were with girls who dressed like one of the boys most of the time and then like whores to go out. That Evie preferred cotton or filmy materials that were formed into pretty skirts that left something to the imagination made him happy in a way that he hadn't expected.

"All set, Princess?"

Evie looked up from folding their wet towels into long rectangles and smiled softly in return. "Yep. Let's get y'all fed before you need to be at the airport."

They were packing up the car, making sure that their bags were in the right order so that no one had to fight to organize their belongings at the airport, when Claudio and Taylor Rotunda called their goodbyes.

"Bye!" Evie waved happily. "Happy Easter!"

"Goodbye, _Häsli_ ," Claudio called with a chuckle. "We will see you on Monday, no?"

Evie gave a confused smile. "What did you just call me?"

Claudio laughed loudly and gave a slow shake of his head. "I called you 'little bunny', of course!"

"Argh!" Evie made a show of rolling her eyes and stomping to the car while Claudio explained the joke to the dark haired wrestler with him.

Jon was frowning when she climbed into the driver's seat, but reached over for her hand all the same. He hated the idea of the others having pet names for his Princess, though he knew she had no interest in them. Well, he was pretty sure she didn't. There was a relative chance that she was interested in an exclusive relationship with him, he concluded, though they had never really discussed it in clear, concrete terms.

They would have to do something about that, Jon decided, as Evie drove them through the deepening city night.

 ****So, what do you think of Evie's moment of jealousy? Do we like Pax? Did you see that coming?**

 ****NEXT CHAPTER ON TUESDAY WILL CONTAIN A BIT OF MATURE CONTENT!****


	16. Back at the Farm

****WARNING** There is some MATURE content this chapter. I'll not warn you from here on out, as this story is labeled 'M' already, so you should know that this sort of thing happens.**

Evie stepped through the backdoor after feeding the chickens and helping her mom weed the garden to find her dad sitting at the kitchen table, a frown planted firmly on his face. "What's wrong?"

"Mind telling me why some other man is sending my wife flowers?"

It was only then that Evie saw the two bouquets of flowers in vases on the table. The one Mike pointed out as being sent to Annette was made up of delicate, deep blue larkspur, soft pink mallow flower, and two different types of red blooms, all contained in a squat, bulbous glass vase. The other was in a more traditional vase, tall with a fluted top, and contained orange marigolds, deep red geraniums, light purple sprays, and bright yellow fluted bells.

"Who on earth would send me flowers?!" Annette shed her muddy boots and then went to look over the unexpected gifts.

Mike sniffed and held out the small white card. "Evie's young man, apparently."

Slipping the card from Mike's fingers, Annette glanced it over before reading it out loud. "French honeysuckle, larkspur, mallow, mercury. Jon."

Evie shook her head and smiled. "Just a sec."

Running up to her room, she pulled the book from her carry-on and was back downstairs quickly. "Rustic beauty, levity, mildness, and goodness. That's what he thinks about you. Don't worry, Daddy, he was just trying to be nice."

Nodding, Mike pointed at the one with her name on the card. "And what's that one supposed to mean?"

"Marigolds for uneasiness, and dark geraniums for melancholy." Evie frowned as she read the names of the unknown flowers on the card and flipped through the pages. "Carolina jasmine for separation. Milk vetch meaning _your presence softens my pains_."

Annette gave an 'aww' and leaned over to smell both groups of blooms. "That is just so sweet. He misses you!"

"Asshole's makin' the rest of us look bad." Mike snorted inelegantly and shook his head as he poured himself a cup of coffee. "Gotta walk the fence line and see what needs fixin' before we move the cattle to the back pasture."

"Evie and I need to go to town and pick up our Easter hats." Annette turned to Evie. "Now, go call your young man and get ready. You'll have to tell me what to get him."

"Huh?"

"Well, he's going to need a basket too, right?!"

Understanding what her mom was actually saying, Evie smiled and trotted up the stairs to call Jon.

Jon was lying in his bed, wondering when the McCallister women would get the bouquets he had ordered through Di Bella's to be delivered that day. Going home, while still relaxing, had stopped being restful. He was starting to feel as if his apartment was cold storage, just a place for him to be between shows and times spent with Joe and Evie. He was just deciding to force himself out of bed in order to go for a run when his phone lit up with Evie's photo and _A Dream is A Wish Your Heart Makes_ from _Cinderella_ floated through the room.

Chuckling, he hit 'accept' and brought the device to his ear. "Hey, Princess."

"Morning Mr. J," Evie's giggle made Jon's morning seem just a little bit brighter. "We got the flowers. Mom just loved hers!"

"And what did you think of yours?"

"I think you should book a flight and come on out here for the weekend."

Sitting up in his bed, Jon smirked. "Think that would be cool?"

"It'll be fine." Evie rolled her eyes. "Want me to book the flight and come pick you up?"

Jon shook his head, though she couldn't see him. "Nah, Princess. I'll get a car for us to make the trip into Baltimore, that way we're covered."

"Well, let me know all the details, okay?"

"Will do."

Evie had begun moving around her room, picking out clothes and looking in her mirror, but stopped as a thought struck her. "And don't worry about going to church or anything if you don't want to. I know it's not really your thing."

"Yeah, okay." Jon nodded, though he had every intention of going to services with Evie and her family. It didn't seem right to just hang out at their farm for days and then not attend. It felt disrespectful, and he didn't want that at all.

Hanging up, Jon booked a flight into Louisville and then sent Evie a text to let her know he'd be at her parents' house around 6:00 that evening before gathering his things. He would need clothes and supplies to get him through until after the Smackdown tapings on Tuesday. Plugging in his phone and tablet, he set about packing for the trip.

O:O:O:O:O:

Evie spent the day shopping with her mom, picking out some things that she knew Jon would like and then leaving the stores so Annette could purchase a few of them. It was a tradition the children and she had from when they were younger, and it made the older woman happy to know that she was getting to surprise them at least a little. While Evie had tried to tell her it wasn't necessary, her mom wouldn't dream of letting a guest wake up on Easter morning without a basket from that wily old bunny.

Stopping for a late lunch, the two women giggled to each other as they stabbed at their salads and nibbled at their half sandwiches.

"So," Annette grinned slyly. "Tell me about your Jon."

Evie felt herself blush deeply. "Mooooom!"

"What?!" The brunette laughed. "The last time I heard, he was just a friend. Now, he's sending flowers and you're acting like it happens all the time! So, c'mon! Spill!"

With a dramatic sigh, which they both know she didn't mean, Evie launched into the whole story. She didn't leave out a single detail, proudly holding out her wrist to show off the bracelet Jon had bought her not so long ago. When she recounted their first date and kiss, Annette gasped jokingly and then giggled. She nodded in all the right places and made little sounds of appreciation when Evie told her about him doing sweet things, and then frowned deeply when it got to the not-so-sweet parts.

"Well," Annette sipped her coffee and scooped up a bite of their shared white chocolate raspberry cheesecake. "There's bound to be things y'all don't agree on."

Evie nodded. "We're working on things and just sort of figuring it all out as we go."

"That sounds like a really good way of doing it."

They visited Annette's bookstore in Scott's Grove on the way home from picking up their Easter hats in the city. Mrs. McCallister selected two Zane Grey novels for the wrestler, stating that "he looked like an original western kind of guy". Evie had only shaken her head affectionately, knowing that her mother had a knack for picking out books for others. No one ever complained about her selections, often coming into the store for recommendations or even calling to ask for suggestions when thinking over gifts for others.

Arriving home, the two women put their purchases away and set about making dinner. Knowing her father would be making his way into the house around the same time that Jon arrived, Evie put together the dough for some sweet biscuits to be used in strawberry shortcake desserts while Annette set the timer on the coffee pot and got started on chicken pot pies. While both were sure to impress the men, the women thought both items to be relatively low on the effort scale.

Mike came in and toed off his rubber boots to keep from tracking mud all over the floor, nodded at their selections for dinner, and went to wash his hands. He got a glass of tea and sank down in his recliner to wait for the food to be finished. Evie gave him an affectionate hug as she placed his heavy ashtray down on the table next to his left elbow. He patted her back gently before reaching for his cigarettes.

When she heard the dogs raise the alarm at a new car coming up the winding drive, Evie skipped down the walk and met Jon in the driveway. "Hey, Mr. J!"

Jon chuckled and wrapped her in a hug, bringing her up against his chest and kissing her deeply. "Mmmm, hey Princess."

Jon let his eyes linger over the raglan sleeved shirt with an animated bunny wearing a dress and riding a bike with 'easy rider' written along the bottom before he dropped them to take in her jeans and bare feet. "Aren't you cold? Where the hell are your shoes?"

"It's not cold, and I'm a barefoot kinda girl." Evie giggled. "Come on in and stash your stuff. Dinner will be ready in a few."

"What're we having?" Jon reached into the trunk and pulled out his bags.

Evie smiled. "Chicken pot pies and strawberry shortcakes for dessert."

"Jesus Christ, Darlin'!" Jon shook his head and shut the trunk lid, reluctantly allowing Evie to take his lightest case and following her to the house. "Are you _trying_ to make me gain weight?!"

Stepping through the door, Jon was ambushed. Annette's arms drew him into a tight hug, her hands patting him on the back. Mike chuckled at his wife's enthusiastic reaction, patting the younger man on the shoulder and taking his bags up the stairs to the guest room. Jon let his bags go without a fuss and sank into the feeling of a real, truly comfortable and welcoming hug. When Annette pulled away, she patted his cheek affectionately with a smile.

"Glad you could make it. Need to wash up before we eat?"

Jon shrugged. "Just my hands, and thanks for having me."

Annette laughed and motioned to the sink. "Y'all wash your hands and set the table."

Evie agreed and washed her hands before letting Jon do the same. Jon took glasses over to the table and set them out while Evie followed along behind with the flatware. Annette opened the oven and began bringing over the individual pot pies in their individual ramekins.

"Jon, honey," Annette called from kitchen. "We've got sweet tea and beer."

Jon nodded. "Tea's good."

Evie put ice in the glasses and then went to help her mom with the rest.

Mike slid into his seat and motioned Jon to do the same. "How's work been? Leg doing any better?"

"Yes, sir." Jon slid into his seat, leaving a space between Mike's place at the head of the table and his own for Evie. "Work's going really well right now. Lots of good matches and storylines."

"Saw some kids wearing your shirts the other day. Y'all get a cut of that?"

Jon nodded as Evie and Annette joined them at the table, sitting out small bowls of salad and a few bottles of dressing. "We get royalties from t-shirt sales and stuff. Making pretty good money on the merch front."

Mike nodded and then turned his hazel eyes on Evie. "Get what you needed in the city today?"

"Uh-huh!" Evie grinned at her mom.

Chuckling, Mike leveled his eyes on Jon. "These girls like to shop, but at least they use their own money to do it."

"Hell," Jon grinned. "If the worst things they spend their money on are shoes and the occasional new hat, then I think we're doin' pretty good."

Annette said grace, which Jon sat through quietly, and then they began eating and talking. Evie recounted her shopping trip with her mom, explaining to Jon that 'city' meant Bowling Green while 'town' meant the much smaller – and closer – Smith's Grove. Annette discussed business at the bookstore and the goings on at the church's Lady's Auxiliary meetings. Jon was asked and answered a few questions about work and how his body was holding up to the added pressure and activity.

"Got word that the Hicks boy isn't gonna be able to come help out tomorrow," Mike sat back in his seat after he finished his main course.

Annette frowned. "We have enough people without him?"

Mike shrugged. "S'pose so."

Evie focused on their conversation. "What's going on?"

"Gotta take the cows to the back pasture in the mornin'," Mike shrugged. "Getting' restless in the barn with it being warm, and we're low on hay."

"I can help." Evie thought nothing of volunteering. "Not like I haven't run cattle before."

Jon sat up a little straighter in his seat. "I'd be happy to help. Just have to tell me what to do."

Mike nodded, a distinct smile curling the edges of his mouth. "Well, now. That'll work just fine."

Annette brought in the coffee along with cream and sugar while Evie set a huge bowl of strawberries in the center of the table. The two women returned to the kitchen before coming back with the sweet biscuits and whipped cream. Jon was a bit confused until Evie took pity on him. Slicing the top off the biscuit, she spooned the sliced strawberries with their sugary glaze onto the bread and followed it all up with the whipped cream.

"Wow," Jon chuckled at her tiny giggle. "Thanks, Princess."

Mike snickered, and it was only then that Jon realized Annette had done the same thing for her husband. Evie shrugged and prepared her own dessert, taking a large spoonful and sighing happily at the taste. _This,_ Jon thought to himself, _is just about the best evening I've had in a long time_.

Later that night, after Mike and Annette had tired of sipping beers and watching the growing horde of fireflies blinking in the front yard, Evie and Jon went to change into comfortable clothes before meeting back in the living room. Evie was pleased to see that Jon had opted for one of his tank tops along with athletic shorts. Jon admired the expanse of smooth leg she was showing off with her shorts. Her shirt had the same animated bunny as the one she had worn earlier that day.

"What is that?"

Evie looked down at herself. "What's what?"

"The rabbit on your shirt." Jon chuckled as Evie began looking through the movies on the shelf.

"Oh, that's Miffy! You know, from the books?"

"Yeah," he shook his head. "No clue."

She shrugged. "Just kids' books."

Nodding, Jon made room for her next to him on the couch, curling his arm around her shoulders as she pressed a few buttons on the remote and snuggled against his side. "So, what're we watching?"

" _Groundhog Day_ ," Evie giggled up at him. "What? I love this movie."

"Not going to say no to Bill Murray, babe."

They were both laughing quietly as Murray's character inquired about flapjacks when they happened to glance at each other simultaneously. Without a thought to her parents being right up the stairs, Jon raised his hand to ghost his fingers along her cheek. Her sharp intake of air and the way her eyes became dilated as her lashes dropped was too much for him. Bringing her close, he lowered his lips to hers.

Evie gave a quiet little sound of approval, using his shoulder as leverage and coming up on her knees to get closer. Jon sank his hands into her hair, loving the hell out of the small whimpering sounds she was making in the back of her throat. When he shifted and laid back on the arm of the couch, she obediently followed, lying on his chest, her fingers lightly scratching the fine hairs on his neck before skimming down over his shoulders and biceps.

Moaning just a bit, she drew away from his lips to take in some much needed oxygen. When he took the opportunity to slide his mouth along her jaw to behind her ear, she gave a hiccupping sigh and sank her nails lightly into the muscles under her hands. "Jesus, I love your arms."

Jon chuckled, flexing under her fingers. "Good to know, Princess."

Evie giggled and rubbed her lips over the scruff he was sporting on his cheeks and jaw before moving on. He always smelled so good, and she was pleased to know that his scent increased at the junction of his shoulder and neck. She sighed happily, enjoying the soft sounds he was making as she kissed along his shoulder. When she came to his collarbone, she couldn't resist sliding the flat of her tongue along the length of the bone.

Jon made some unintelligible sound and surged under her, bringing them to the other end of the couch with her beneath his body and his hips slotted between her thighs. While one of his large hands grasped her wavy tresses and angled her head back to give his mouth access to her throat, his other grasped her hip. Fighting for some semblance of control, he directed the movements of her undulating hips against his growing excitement. She gasped as his warm thumb slipped under the hem of her shirt to slide along the flesh of her hip and waist.

"Princess," Jon struggled to speak through his lust. "Baby, we gotta stop this."

Evie moaned her displeasure and brought one toned thigh up over his hip.

"Look at me, Princess."

When her eyes opened, clouded with lust and so full of want that he nearly gave in, Jon pulled his hips away from hers and settled between her and the back of the couch. Seeing the confusion on her face, he smiled lightly. Her innocence was at once endearing and alluring.

"What's wrong, baby?"

Evie's thighs rubbed together mindlessly as she fought for control. "Sorry, I know we should stop."

Though he agreed, Jon couldn't stand the thought of leaving her like this. "Let me make you feel good."

"Huh?" Evie was confused. Shouldn't _he_ want relief first?

Petting her hair back from her face, he brought his other hand to the waistband of her sleep shorts. Staring into her jade eyes, he kissed her so softly she sighed. "Just let me touch you, sweetheart. One hand to make you see stars."

Evie bit her lip before giving a quick nod. No other hands but her own had ever touched her like that, and she was a bit nervous.

"Need to hear it, Princess." Jon fought with everything he had to stay still even as she shifted restlessly.

"Yes," she gasped as he kissed her softly in reward for speaking. "Please, Jon?"

"Shhhh, Princess." Jon smirked as he sipped at her lips. "Begging comes later."

Evie's eyes fluttered as his long fingers eased between her folds, caressing her most delicate area gently. When her breathing picked up, Jon kissed her deeply and began a rhythm of sliding the pad of one finger over her hidden button. Evie stopped thinking and just let herself go, grinding against his hand and trusting him to take care of her. He read her body perfectly and pinched the flesh he had been working so that she tensed and then found sweet release.

"Oh, Jon," she sighed as the tremors slowly dissipated.

Jon kept his hand where it was, letting her feel connected as she came down. Sliding the scooped neckline of her shirt to one side, he locked his eyes with hers. Lowering his mouth to the flesh just above her left breast, he nibbled and sucked until a small, dark bruise formed. Evie shuddered and felt herself twitch against his hand once more, a bit embarrassed to have come again from such an act of possession. Jon's rumble of satisfaction alleviated that awkwardness, however, and she smiled up at him sweetly.

"Feel good, Princess?" Jon's voice was quiet, though she heard it over the television.

Evie nodded and curled into his chest, sighing when he moved to wrap both arms around her securely. "So much better than when I do that myself."

Jon chuckled. "Good. Really want you to like me touching you."

"Don't have to worry about that, Jon." Evie giggled. "What about you, though?"

Moving her tiny body so that they were spooned together facing the television, Jon did his best to ignore his throbbing erection and rewound the movie to where he could remember them leaving off. "Don't worry about me, Princess. I'm good."

O:O:O:O:O:

Jon had finished watching the movie with Evie before kissing her goodnight and going to bed. He spent a few minutes trying to talk himself down before admitting defeat and reaching for the tissue box on the dresser. Evie spent the rest of the night knitting and watching old episodes of _Leverage_ while she waited for it to be time to start breakfast. Running cattle wasn't the most difficult job, but it did tend to wear you out and make you hungry, and she wanted everyone good and fed before they started their day.

When the sun began to color the eastern horizon through the big living room window, Evie put aside her yarn and needles and moved into the kitchen. She soon had bacon and sausage frying merrily and coffee dripping in the pot. Bread was sliced and slathered with real butter in preparation to either eat plain or add honey. She took a slice with her as she stepped lightly up the stairs to wake Jon as her mother took over at the stove.

"Jon, baby." Evie placed the bread on the bedside table and pecked him lightly on the nose. "Mr. J?"

Jon mumbled sleepily and drew her down next to him on the quilt. "Don't wanna."

"Baby? If you want to eat, you need to get moving." Despite her words, Evie snuggled against him for a moment. "Got lots of work to do today."

"Nope," he shook his head. "Just gonna stay here instead."

"Well, okay." Evie drew the word out a bit. "But, just so you know, my dad will probably come looking for us at some point soon."

"Up! Time to get up!" Jon shot up and began pushing Evie so that she rolled off the side of the bed and barely landed on her feet. "Get out so I can get dressed."

"Yeah yeah," she shook her head. "Don't worry about boots. We found an extra pair to fit you."

"Cool. Thanks." Snatching the bread from the table, he took a large bite and chewed it while he grinned.

Leaving him to change, Evie skipped across the hall to her own room. Slathering sunblock over her arms and legs, she exchanged her night clothes for a pair of her old, worn jeans and a sleeveless shirt. A blue flannel was pulled over her shoulders to guard against the morning chill. A pair of old work boots finished it off. Brushing her hair, she took a moment to pull it up into a ponytail at the back of her head.

Returning downstairs, she dropped a kiss to the top of Jon's head as she passed the table and pressed another to her father's cheek stubble before taking her own seat. Annette finished bringing in the plates of eggs, and everyone loaded their choices of sausage, bacon, and bread on before digging in. Evie sipped her coffee gratefully as Mike ran over the rules for Jon.

"Now, the important thing is to not let any get behind you and keep an eye open for a stampede." Mike shrugged at his shocked look. "We have a little more than 200 head, and they can cause some trouble if they get moving in the wrong direction. Our goal is to move them along the path, up by the railroad tracks, and then back down into the valley by the river."

Jon nodded. "Sounds easy enough."

Annette smiled at Jon, reassuring him with her calm demeanor. "Evie and I will be up on horses, leading the front of the line, opening gates, and making sure we don't have any wander off in the spots where you guys can't stand. She'll run messages back down the line if need be."

Mike nodded and continued. "The Kirklands and Welshes will be coming down to help out in an hour or so, so we'll have a few more men on hand."

Jon nodded and finished his breakfast, drinking a few more cups of coffee to make sure he was awake. While he was fairly certain he wasn't going to lose any of the cows, he didn't want to disappoint Evie either. Looking bad in front of her father didn't seem like the best way to follow up what they had done the night before.

Evie slipped a Pioneer Seed hat on over her hair before checking on the chickens and picking the morning eggs. Jon and Mike went out to the barn lot to check out the cattle for any that might be hurt or expecting a calf. The cows that were obviously pregnant would be put into a side lot to graze while the rest were taken to pasture. This way, Mike explained, he and Annette could assist one of "the old girls" should they have trouble.

"Now," Mike turned from hooking a large bell on a collar around a cow's neck and looked at Jon as he lit a cigarette and leaned against a fence post. "Do I need to have a talk with you the way I did Gail's high school boys, or are we past that?"

Jon chuckled and lit one of his own. "Well, I'd like to think that I'm too old for it."

Nodding, Mike sighed. "Evie's told her momma what she told you about her past. I'm sure there's some stuff she ain't said yet that'll come out when and if she's ready."

Jon agreed, nodding silently.

"Evelyn's a grown woman and can make up her own mind about things. And I like you, so I'm not gonna raise a fuss." Leveling Jon with a look, he continued. "Just don't make me regret it."

"No, sir." Jon chuckled then, taking a drag from his smoke before shaking his head. "Did she tell you about running into Paxton a while back?"

"Yeah, she mentioned that he was on some business trip and had lunch with you one day."

"He waited until she went to the restroom before letting me know that pigs will eat anything."

Mike's hearty laugh echoed in the barn, stirring the cattle a bit. "Knew I liked that kid for a reason."

When Jon and Mike made it back to the house, it was to the sound of Evie's happy laughter. She was standing with a group of men about her age, her head thrown back with mirth. When she caught sight of him, she turned and jogged over to take his hand.

"Come meet some of my friends from high school!"

Nodding, Jon let her lead him over to the group of five men. When they drew close it became clear to him that one of them was focusing a little too much on Evie. He was much shorter than Jon, with a cap over his short brown hair and a stocky build. Evie didn't seem to notice as she was too busy smiling up at him.

"Guys, I'd like you to meet my boyfriend Jon." Evie pointed to each man as she went around the group. "Jon, meet Jake, Sean, and Caleb Welsh and Frank and Henry Kirkland."

Jon smirked when the Welsh brothers obviously recognized him. The man who had been checking out Evie was apparently named Caleb, and Jon focused on him as he slung an arm around Evie's shoulders. "Good mornin'."

The men all returned his greeting before Mike and a few older men joined them.

Mike sent a knowing smile to Jon before looking at Evie. "The horses ready?"

"Yep." Evie nodded happily. "We're good to go."

"Alright. Well, Dolly's got the bell."

Jon was confused, but Evie nodded as if it all made sense. Leaning up, she pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Y'all be careful!"

Jon nodded and watched her jog off to the small brown stable where Annette was waiting with two horses before turning to Mike. "So, where do you need me?"

Caleb's chuckle was anything but friendly. "You can just come with us."

Mike's interruption stopped Jon from saying anything cutting. "Nope. Jon's with me today, boys."

Jon fell in line with Mike and one of the older men who looked to be the elder Kirkland. "Thanks."

Mike chuckled while Mr. Kirkland snorted a laugh and put a hunk of dip in his cheek. "Son, I thought for sure you were gonna deck Caleb."

"Ought to," Mr. Kirkland shrugged. "Kid's been an asshole since the boys were in little league."

Jon was momentarily distracted by the sight of Evie astride a pretty black horse with large white patches. She winked at him as she trotted by to wait at the fence. Mike tossed Jon a pair of thick brown work gloves as Mr. Kirkland donned his own and took up a spot along the dirt path.

Annette guided her horse calmly, clicking her tongue from time to time to get the horse focused. "Doin' alright, Dad?"

"Quit your fussin', Old Woman! We're good!" Mike groused before muttering to Jon. "Women. Always thinking they gotta worry about something."

Before Jon could answer, they had reached the large metal gate in the fence and Mike pointed out the cow he'd put the bell on earlier. "Now, I'm gonna open the gate. Nettie will ride in and pull miss Dolly out to lead. Evie's gonna cut a group of twenty out to follow, and I'm gonna move to the left to help guide. Once the horse passes the gate, you swing it shut."

"Then what?"

Mike shrugged. "We wait 'til she comes back and do it all over again."

Evie looked up from folding a bandana into a triangle. "Without having a big area to work in, and not a lot of horses, it's easier to go a few at a time."

"Right." Jon nodded, watching as the blonde on the horse tied the blue material around her face to help block bugs and dirt from getting to her.

At Annette's word, Mike opened the gate and the two women rode into the herd. Once Dolly was patted on the rump, she quietly moved through the opening as if she had done it many times before. Evie carefully counted out twenty head and cut them from the rest, calling and whistling sharply as her paint moved back and forth through the morass under foot.

Once she was through the gate, Jon shut it and looped the chain around its bars before following Mike. Clapping their hands together sharply, the men got the cows moving at a decent pace before leaving it to Evie to keep them grouped loosely together. Jon felt a bit ridiculous shouting at cows, but that seemed to be how it was done.

The rest of the morning went much the same way, with twenty to thirty minutes passing between trips, before they had only sixteen cows left, as four were too far along with babies to make the trip. Evie drew up beside Jon and leaned down to accept a drink from the bottle he offered. He chuckled wiped at a line of dirt on her cheek.

Evie giggled. "How you doin', baby?"

"Pretty good, I think." He shrugged. "Haven't lost one yet."

"Wanna ride with me?"

Jon snorted. "Do I _look_ like I've ever been on a horse?"

"C'mon," Evie laughed and dismounted. "The horse does all the work. I promise!"

After showing him what to do and giggling as it took him a few tries to be settled, Evie swung up behind him. "Now, all you have to do is guide Dippy by moving the reins. I'll take care of speed."

"Dippy?" Jon chuckled.

Evie joined in as Mike opened the gate and the horse moved easily to do his job. "Well, he's a paint, right?"

"If you say so, Princess." Jon nodded and eased the mount around the remaining cattle.

The ride went smoothly, and Jon proved to be as fast a learner at this as he was in the ring. By the time they reached the other men lining the path, he was controlling Dippy as if he had ridden before. While Evie wouldn't have wanted to let him go alone, she was comfortable resting a hand on his side and enjoying the easy movement of the animal. After the final gate was securely locked and the head count came out right from three different counts, Evie let Jon steer them home.

They had all just finished a late lunch, and Caleb waited until Evie was walking everyone to their trucks before he made his move. "So, you doing anything later?"

Confused, Evie frowned. "Huh?"

"Well," Caleb shrugged one shoulder carelessly and smirked in a way that Evie found lewd. "It's been a while since we were both home at the same time. Thought you might like to catch up is all."

Evie shook her head. "You know I'm with Jon now, and the only thing I'm catching up on is alone time with him!"

"Which is going to start," Jon's gravelly voice was pitched low with an angry warning, "with a nice afternoon nap."

Evie nodded and then waved to the departing men as a whole. "Bye! Thanks again for your help!"

"Don't like that prick," Jon growled.

Evie shook her head. "Really? Couldn't tell."

Wrapping his arm around her waist, Jon brought her up against his chest and kissed her softly. "Let's go get that nap."

"Yeah," Evie breathed quietly. She loved the way he kissed her, no matter if he was being harsh or soft. "Nap sounds good."

The rest of the day passed quietly until Gavin and Pax arrived, bringing news of their engagement. Annette cried, wrapping her arms around both of them and pressing kisses to their cheeks. Mike shook their hands and slapped them both on the back. Jon shared man hugs with each man after Evie had her turn. The betrothed couple shared the last empty bedroom for the rest of the weekend while Evie and Jon continued to watch movies or television shows late into the night. Jon had resisted the temptation to repeat the events of Thursday night, though they did share some very stimulating kisses.

Saturday night, Jon knocked on Evie's door. "What're you up to?"

Evie giggled. "We have to be up here or the Easter Bunny won't come!"

Jon blinked. "Huh?"

"The Easter Bunny? You know," Evie gave a series of little jumps with her hands held in front of her chest. "Hoppin' down the bunny trail?"

Jon laughed loud and long at the display, crumpling the wrinkled shirt in his hands and sitting on the edge of her bed. "Wow. That was stupidly adorable."

"Thanks, I think." Evie frowned. "What've you got there?"

"Shirt for church in the morning. Didn't realize it would get so wrinkled."

Evie smiled and took the white material. "You're coming to church?"

"Yeah," Jon shrugged. "I go where you go."

"I'll be right back." Evie pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth and then skipped out of the room. When she returned, it was with an iron and small ironing board in one hand and a plastic bag full of snacks looped over the other. "Now, what're we watching?"

"Something romantic!" Paxton suggested from the door.

Gavin snorted as he entered right behind him, an HDMI cable looped around his hand. "I vote something funny."

"Who said you two were invited?!" Evie rolled her eyes as she set up the board on the floor beside an available outlet.

Jon accepted the beer Pax tossed his way. "I'm with Gavin. Something funny."

"Hey!" Pax pouted. "Give me back my beer!"

"Nope," Jon shook his head and popped the can open.

Evie frowned in thought. " _Clerks_?"

"Oh!" Gavin looked up from where he was connecting Evie's laptop to the television. "Kevin Smith marathon!"

"Fine," Evie feigned exasperation while making it clear that she was faking. "But you have to go down and pop lots of corn. _And_ you two are camping on the floor."

"Ugh!" Paxton threw up his hands. "Fine! I'll go get some pillows."

Gavin laughed at his fiancée and pressed a kiss to Evie's temple as she ran the now hot iron over Jon's dress shirt. "I'll see if I can't find some M&Ms, too."

Jon chuckled at their easy antics. "Why M&Ms?"

"She likes to eat them with her popcorn." Gavin shrugged and left the room.

That night would go down as one of the best times Jon had ever had while sober. The four talked easily, shouting lines along with the characters on the television and laughing at each other. Annette poked her head in to hush them around midnight, and they at least attempted to be quiet for the next hour. When the men drifted off around 2:30, Evie snuggled against Jon's chest and watched movies until her alarm sounded at 7:00.

"Jon," Evie kissed him softly. "Time to get up."

He frowned and blinked up at her. "Why?"

"Baby, it's _Easter_!"

He blinked again. "Okay?"

Evie sighed and shook his shoulder. "Come on!"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm comin'!"

Hopping up, she grabbed a pillow and _thwapped_ Gavin. "Get up! Get up!"

"Bunbun, I swear to God!" Gavin began swinging back with his own pillow. "The hell's your problem?!"

" _Gaaaaaav!_ " Evie whined and pouted her lower lip out comically. "It's _Easter_!"

Pax pulled himself up to stand and held his hand out to Gavin. "Come on, Babe. It's Easter!"

Grumbling, Gavin let his fiancée help him to his feet. "Fine, fine. I'm up!"

Jon sat on the edge of the bed watching the siblings and shaking his head. The more he saw of them together, the more he liked her brother. Forcing himself to his feet, he groaned and stretched his back until it popped. He coughed a few times before hobbling slowly to the bathroom.

Gavin frowned after the other man. "He okay?"

Evie nodded. "Yeah. He's been wrestling for over a decade – some of that in things called _death matches_ – and it takes a toll. Let him move around a bit and get some coffee. He'll be okay."

Once Jon joined them, the four walked down the stairs. Just as her foot hit the floor, Evie elbowed Gavin in the chest and took off for the dining room. Gavin caught her and spun her so she squealed and had to get her bearings before taking off after him. Jon and Pax just frowned at each other and followed the siblings before halting at the open arch in front of the large table.

There were five large baskets sitting on the table with a smaller pink one at the side. Gavin was standing to one side, already poking through a large wicker container, laughing at a book that had been included. Evie's basket was just as large, though it was a pretty butter yellow. She held up a vintage Wonder Woman varsity t-shirt, holding it against her chest and giggling lightly.

"Jon!" She smiled, rushing over to grasp his hand. "Come see what the Easter Bunny brought you!"

"Huh?" He blinked in confusion. Since when had he ever gotten a basket from some mythical bunny?

Evie smiled up at her man while Pax went to join his at the table. "Mr. J., the Easter Bunny believes in making up for lost time."

Seeing the look in her eyes, sad but also hopeful, Jon nodded and let her lead him to the large green basket that had been set up beside her own. Amongst colorful candy and chocolate bunnies, Jon found two paperbacks ( _Riders of the Purple Sage_ and _To The Last Man,_ both by Zane Grey), a deck of playing cards, a keyring shaped like the Batman symbol that had a bottle opener in the center and a different screwdriver bit on each tip of the bat's wings, and a black shirt reading 'Old enough to know better, young enough to do it anyway'. He felt his eyes burn with a feeling he had never felt before, and he cleared his throat reflexively.

"My goodness!" Annette's voice was full of wonder. "Look at this!"

Evie held up her shirt, playing along happily. "Look what I got!"

"Wow! That's so cute!" Smiling, she waved them into the kitchen. "There's cinnamon rolls and coffee for breakfast, then we've got church."

Evie went to step away from the table, but stopped when Jon dropped her hand. "Jon?"

"I'll be right in, Princess." He motioned to the scattered contents of his basket. "Just wanna get this together."

When she nodded and left the room after the others, he turned to the matriarch of the McCallister clan. "Thank you."

Stepping up to him, Annette wrapped her arms around his shoulders and brought him down against her for a motherly embrace. "In my house, children are allowed to be children, and we _absolutely_ believe in magic."

Jon gave a watery chuckle before pulling himself together and allowing her to lead him from the room.

The rest of the day went smoothly, with Gail and Lily coming over after church along with the various aunts, uncles, and cousins. Jon scooped the little girl up and danced around the room while Evie cooed over the sight of the big wrestler with the girl in her frothy pink dress. Dinner was eaten with Jacob and his brother asking him all sorts of questions about wrestling and what they should be doing to get into the business. Evie answered as many of the questions as she could, allowing Jon to relax a little more before it was time to leave for Baltimore.

When she woke up from her nap, made later by familial obligations, there was a new charm on the bracelet she had left on the bedside table. A small silver rabbit with a bag on his back with what appeared to be eggs was threaded onto the leather strap. When Jon came to help her with her bags, she kissed him without comment and he smiled in return.

 **So, a little bit of sexy time for our couple, and more life on the farm. Did I bring some feels?**


	17. Occasional Star Rescuer

It had been a week since Easter, and Evie was busy keeping all the guys' schedules straight. At least they all had interviews and appearances together, so she only had to organize transportation three times instead of three sets of everything. Her own travel arrangements matched up with Jon's nearly every time, so that was at least simplified.

She was walking to wardrobe to pick up the usual ring gear, having just sat through two radio interviews as well as a podcast recording before driving to the arena, when Danielle called out a greeting.

"Hi, Dani." Evie kept walking, the low heels of her black boots barely making a sound as the two women fell into step and did their best to dodge the busy backstage workers. "How's your day going?"

"Pretty good." Dani looked over Evie's outfit and smiled. "You look very nice today."

"Thank you," Evie grinned through her pleased blush. "I thought I would dress to match the general theme of the evening."

Her dress was made of a subdued navy material, with elbow length sleeves and a lightly puffy skirt. Her yellow vest had black details and was cinched at the waist with a red sash tied in a bow. She wore yellow knee socks with her high boots. The black band nestled amongst her blonde waves was topped with a small yellow bow.

Dani laughed. "I cannot believe I might actually get to meet Hugh Jackman!"

"It _is_ pretty crazy!" Evie nodded as they reached Miss Sandra and the rest of the wardrobe girls. "Hi, Miss Sandra."

Sandra waved and gestured at the end of a table where the Shield's gear was already laid out. "Too busy to talk tonight."

Taking the needed things, Evie thanked the older woman and began making her way back to the locker room area. The entire backstage was a flutter with activity. Elimination Chamber was in less than a week, and everyone wanted to make the last Raw before the pay per view count. Ric Flair was holding court with some of the younger wrestlers in catering, while Hugh Jackman was yet to arrive.

Evie dropped the Shield's gear in the room, got the finalized script from a production assistant, and returned quickly. "Looks like you have an in ring segment with Flair endorsing you over Evolution, then a match between Joe and Orton that will end up in mass chaos. Try not to get hurt."

The guys chuckled before Jon looked up from tying his boots. "So, we're going to have to head down to the ring to go over a few spots for later, but I need to track down the trainers and get some more wrap for my wrists."

Evie shook her head. "When will you learn that that's my job? I'll go get the wrap and some tape, then meet you down at the ring. Cool?"

"Sure thing, Princess." Jon grinned.

Evie ducked out of the room only to be stopped before she turned the corner.

"Hey," Colby jogged up. "Sorry to stop you, but I forgot until you left the room. Any way you could grab some muscle rub while you're down there?"

"Yeah, it's no problem."

"Thanks, Bunny," Colby winked and grazed her elbow lightly with his fingers before turning and heading back up the hall to where the others were waiting.

Completing her errand quickly, Evie dropped the muscle rub off in the locker room and was soon skipping down the ramp to deliver the wrap and tape to Jon. "Here you go, Mr. J!"

"Thanks, Doll." Jon winked and began wrapping his wrists and hands expertly. He had been doing it for so long that he barely had to pay attention anymore. His hands and arms just moved automatically.

Evie was focused so hard on watching Jon's thick forearms move that she didn't notice Steph stepping up to the barrier beside her until the older woman cleared her throat politely. "Oh, hey Steph!"

Steph raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at the blonde, amusement tugging at her lips. "Busy?"

"Not at the moment. Why?" Evie turned to focus on the newcomer, noticing the slightly harried look in her eyes. "Something I could help you with?"

"I hope so, but it's up to you."

Jon stopped moving, getting Joe and Colby's attention from where they had been talking with Dave Batista beside the ring. The two Shield members were beside Evie before Steph was halfway through her explanation. By the time she was finished, all three of them were shaking their heads in disgust.

"Hugh Jackman's plane landed at some tiny little airport outside of the city." Steph shook her head. "I guess both the pilot _and_ the copilot _fell asleep_ at some point, overshot the city, and then barely woke up in time to put the plane down before they ran out of fuel!"

"Holy shit!" Colby glanced at the others. "Everyone okay?"

"Yeah, but now he's having problems getting his bags _and_ there are no rental places out there for him to get a car. The airport is almost an hour out." Steph gave a defeated half shrug before focusing on Evie. "Any ideas?"

Evie looked at her bosses, receiving nods from all three, before nodding herself. "I'll get it handled. I need his number, the name of the airport, and permission to raise hell."

Stephanie's laugh drew the attention of everyone around them. "Permission granted."

"Okay. It's almost 3:00 now. I should be able to get him and get back by around 5:00 or so." Turning to Jon, Joe, and Colby, she cracked a smile. "Since we skipped lunch, does anyone want dinner brought in?"

Joe took her tablet to take down dinner orders while she scrolled through her phone to get directions to the airport. Jon told the Samoan what he wanted while he finished wrapping his left hand, watching as Colby hurriedly added his order to the bottom and then skimmed his left hand along Evie's tiny waist to get her attention. There was something about the way the other man was behaving that bothered him, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what.

Conscious of the others, Evie resisted the urge to kiss Jon goodbye. He wasn't a huge fan of public displays of affection, so she tried to respect that. "So I'll handle this and be back ASAP."

Evie had been gone nearly half an hour when Stephanie, this time accompanied by Paul, called Jon over. They were both wearing what Jon secretly called their 'business faces', and he felt his palms grow moist as he moved to answer their summons. Had he done something? He knew he had passed the most recent wellness check with flying colors – something he was quite proud of – and wasn't aware of any moves in the ring that would warrant a private conference with the big bosses.

"What's up?"

Paul leaned against the barrier, crossing his arms over his chest and cracking a grin. "Relax, man. We're not here to ream you."

"Cool, cool." Jon nodded and felt his chest loosen a bit with the news. "So, if I'm not in trouble, what's wrong?"

Stephanie laughed and shook her head, her brown hair bouncing lightly under the lights of the arena. "Nothing! We just have an opportunity that's come up and thought you might be interested."

"WWE has a six movie deal, and we were wondering if you would be interested."

Jon grinned. "In being in a movie?"

"Yeah," Paul nodded along with his wife. "It's a cop action movie. Interested?"

"Hell yeah!" Jon laughed. "Sounds good!"

Steph gave her pleased, small smile. "Good, I'll let the needed people know! Should have more info in the next few weeks."

Jon returned to the others, chuckling and shaking his head at their questioning glances. "I guess they want me to have a part in some cop movie they're shooting."

"Yeah?" Colby was obviously surprised.

"Yeah, man." Jon shrugged and started bouncing on the balls of his feet to warm up a bit. "Probably just some two line thing."

While the guys debated the merits of being in a WWE movie – there were some good and some bad past examples, after all – Evie was pulling into the small airport outside the city. She was silently pleased that it had only taken her 45 minutes instead of a full hour to arrive at her destination, though she was beginning to feel a bit nervous at the prospect of meeting an honest-to-God movie star. She had spent a good chunk of the drive with different airport employees on speaker phone, going through the hoops necessary to get Mr. Jackman's bags released, and she was relatively confident that they would be waiting with the Aussie by the time she made it to the small employee's lounge in which he was supposed to be waiting.

"Mr. Jackman?" Evie smiled, enjoying the surprise on his face when he looked up from his phone. "My name is Evelyn McCallister. I've been sent to collect you."

Laughing, his stunning smile was showcased beautifully. "Hello, Miss McCallister. Are you the one who scared them enough to dig my luggage out of the plane?"

Evie grinned proudly. "That would be me. And please, call me Evelyn or Evie."

The tall actor chuckled quietly. "'And though she be but little, she is _fierce_.'"

"Why, Mr. Jackman!" Evie put on her thickest, sweetest accent. "Are you quotin' Shakespeare at little ol' me?"

"Please, call me Hugh." He chuckled through his words and then looked to the well-built man who stepped through the door.

The new guy focused on Evie, the look on his face strongly suggesting that he'd just tasted curdled milk. "I trust everything is in line now?"

Without skipping a beat, Evie looked to Hugh. "Are your bags to your liking? Need to get anything else while we're here?"

"Nah," he shook his head and leveled a look of disgust at the man. "This bludger's done about all he can to make my afternoon shit."

Nodding, Evie took the large bag beside Hugh's legs and began rolling it toward the door. "If you'll just follow me, we'll see if we can't lighten your day a bit."

Hugh's accent was thick when he spoke next. "You're adorable. Really, quite a pleasure after this hellish afternoon."

"Well, thank you!" She smiled as they reached the car and stashed his things in the trunk. "I try to be polite until it doesn't serve me anymore. Then, I just get mean."

"So," he spoke while settling in the front seat instead of in the back as she'd expected. "What do you do when you're not rescuing stranded actors from out-of-the-way airports?"

"Well," Evie smiled as she started the car and shifted into reverse. "Lately, I've been keeping three wrestlers from getting lost or punching airline employees."

"Three?!"

"Yes sir." Turning back the way she'd come in, Evie grinned. "I'm the personal assistant to the Shield."

"That must be difficult."

Evie shrugged. "Well, it's made a bit easier since I'm sort of seeing one of them."

"Really?" He drew the word out comically. "Which one?"

"Dean, though his real name is Jon." Evie smiled softly, trying to focus on her driving.

Hugh chuckled. "And does he know how lucky he is to have such a pretty girl?"

"I'd like to think that I'm more than just a pretty face." Evie leveled an exaggerated glare at the tall Aussie as they waited on a red light to change.

He chuckled lightly. "Between your pretty face and the way you handle yourself and everyone around you? I'm half tempted to give stealing you away a fair go!"

Evie frowned. "Are you flirting with me right now?"

"Too right, I am!" He chuckled lightly. "But only a little."

"Well, a little flirting is one thing. Don't get too fresh, though." Evie winked. "I'm not that kind of girl."

The rest of the trip went smoothly with the two discussing what it was like traveling with the colorful sideshow that is the WWE and his latest movie. He added on his choices for dinner and then insisted that he pay for the whole thing. When they arrived at the arena, Evie had to show her credentials to the security guard at the gate before they could pass through the fence and park. The crowd waiting beyond the fence cheered Evie when she stepped out of the car and only got louder when Hugh followed suit.

One of the production assistants ran out to take his bags, wheeling them into the arena while Evie collected the bags of food from the back seat. For his part, Hugh attempted to carry them but was rebuffed gently. Evie did, however, let him loop her hand through his elbow and lead her gently into the building. Arriving at catering, Hugh shook hands with everyone and then found a seat with the Shield while she passed out the meals.

Paul soon came to greet the guest star, smiling and shaking his hand warmly. "Welcome back!"

"Glad to be here," Hugh grinned. "Had so much fun last time!"

"Did everything get ironed out with the airline?"

Hugh chuckled. "I don't know what she said, but Miss Evelyn sure put the fear of Jesus into somebody out there. They went through the plane, found each of my bags, and refunded my money."

The guys all laughed as she set their food in front of them and then went to retrieve drinks for the group.

As Paul left them to their meals, Hugh turned to Jon. "I should let you know that I hit on Evelyn earlier, but she turned me down flat."

Jon smirked, tracking her movements as she flitted from the cooler full of water to the one holding sodas. "Good to know."

"She's precious," Hugh continued. "You should hang on to her."

"Don't have to tell me that." Jon nodded. "And I plan on it."

After eating and going over their planned interactions one more time, the guys finished dressing for their match and began stretching. Evie sat down with her tablet, picking up where she had left off on rereading _Moby Dick_ in an attempt to get more out of it than she had while in high school. It had been a busy afternoon, and she appreciated the quiet moments where she could get them.

Jon looked up from where he was sitting on the floor as Colby left the room to visit the bathroom and Joe followed him out to ask Orton something about a spot they wanted to try that night. Evie was sitting on the bench, her legs crossed so that only the soles of her boots were visible under the hem of her puffy skirt. She was twirling a piece of hair mindlessly around her finger as she focused on the iPad in front of her. That she was wearing an outfit modeled after Wolverine hadn't eluded him, and he kept mentally repeating what the actor had told him earlier. Hopping to his feet, he stepped across the room.

Evie wasn't aware that he had been watching her or that he had moved from his spot on the floor until he tilted her head back with a firm hand on her chin and sealed his lips over her own. She gave a squeak of surprise, nearly tipping over and falling off the backless seat before correcting and wrapping an arm around his broad shoulders. Relaxing into the unexpected intimacy, she luxuriated in his growl of pleasure and followed his lead until he ended the kiss a few moments later.

"Do I got your attention now, Princess?" He spoke with his lips brushing hers.

"Uh-huh," she gave a slight nod and forced her lashes to flutter open.

"Yeah?" He chuckled as she barely nodded again. "Good, because I got somethin' to say, and you need to listen real well."

"Okay?" She was confused. His tone of voice was stern and commanding, but the hand cupping her cheek was gentle under the calluses.

"Jackman told me he hit on you earlier, and I see what Lopez has been up to." He chuckled as Evie lowered her brows in confusion. "The little touches and shit? Yeah, I know those tricks. He's gonna try something with you."

"But, you're friends! And I would never –"

"We work great together, and I guess we might sort of be friends, but he's having problems with his girl and he's trying to line you up for when his arrangement ends with her." Jon shook his head dangerously and slid to his knees so that they were on the same level. "But nobody takes from me, Princess. Not anymore."

Sliding his hand into the waves at the back of her neck, he cupped her head and brought her in for another kiss, branding her with his teeth and tongue, loving the way her bottom lip swelled and became dark red under his assault.

"Make no mistake about it, Evelyn Sue McCallister." He growled against her bruised mouth. "You are mine."

 **Thank you for reading, and please review!**


	18. Brunch, Naps, and Disaster

The Shield had had Wednesday and Thursday off before appearing at house shows and interviews over the weekend. With the Extreme Rules pay per view taking place on Sunday, the guys were busy building their rivalry with Evolution to a fever pitch. Evie hadn't bothered to return home, seeing the airfare as wasted money. She had flown to Kentucky late Tuesday night while the men flew to their own homes, spending Wednesday and Thursday with her parents and older sister before making the four and a half hour drive up to Columbus for the house show Friday evening.

Picking Joe and Colby up at the airport was no problem, though Jon had a considerable number of fans waiting for him when he arrived later that afternoon. He signed autographs and took pictures for nearly an hour before Evie had to step in.

"Everyone," Evie had to raise her voice to be heard over the excited chatter of the fans around her. "I'm sorry, but Dean needs to get going so he can get ready for the show later."

Jon smiled at her use of his ring name, though the fans around him groaned. "Sorry guys, but she's right. Are there any kids I missed?"

The crowd looked around, making sure all the littlest fans had had a chance for a picture or an autograph.

An older man standing with his two sons nearby chuckled. "Isn't the woman always right?"

Jon snorted a laugh. "Well, that's why she's in charge of the scheduling."

"Son, let me give you some advice." Another man chuckled. "Just go ahead and admit that the woman is just in charge. They only let us _pretend_ we are from time to time."

Jon winked conspiratorially. "No clue what you're talking about."

Evie shook her head with an indulgent smile. "We really do need to be going if you're going to have time to stretch and warm up."

Waving to the crowd, Jon climbed into the rental's driver seat and steered them toward the Pavilion where the show would be taking place that night. Reaching across the console, he slipped his fingers through hers. "You look cute today."

"Really?" Evie looked down at the brown _Firefly_ shirt with its quote and constellations and smiled. "I didn't even really dress up."

He chuckled. "Love that skirt."

"It's just the same one I wore in New Orleans during Axxess." Evie rolled her eyes and tried to stop the blush she could feel stealing over her cheeks.

"I know," Jon let the tips of his fingers barely brush the skin bared above her knee while pretending not to notice. "I'm allowed to love something on you that isn't new."

"This is true."

"No shit." He waited a beat and then asked. "What's the shirt say, anyway? I didn't get a chance to read it before."

"If you can't run you walk, if you can't walk you crawl, and when you can't do that, you find someone to carry you."

Jon nodded, taking the familiar side roads as much as possible to get around early Friday rush hour traffic. "I like that one."

"Yeah, it's one of my favorites." Evie giggled. "I've probably got more than enough _Firefly_ shirts by now."

Jon snorted. "Hell, Princess, you wear whatever you want. Anyone who has a problem with that can come see me."

Evie giggled and sat quietly while he eased them into the parking area reserved for talent.

"Now," Jon interrupted their brief moment of silence. "About Lopez –"

"Jon." Shaking her head, she interrupted him gently. "Let me handle him. You don't want bad blood between the two of you, and he's just acting out because he's feeling inadequate."

Jon snorted. " _I'll_ make him feel inadequate."

"I'm sure you already do, baby." Bringing his hand up from between them, she pressed a kiss to his knuckles. "But, let me handle it nicely first. If he keeps it up, then you can step in."

Seeing the logic in her plea, he _did_ have to work with the man, he nodded. "Okay, fine. Just don't put up with bullshit to save his feelings."

"Got it." Evie nodded definitively before they both turned to exit the car.

The show went well, with the Shield coming out victorious against Authority goons. Colby continued to call Evie "Bunny", though Claudio had also kept up referring to her as " _Häsli_ ", so she tried not to pay too much attention to it. Joe and Nick both referred to her as Bunbun in front of others, so it was no surprise when Jimmy or Danielle repeated the nickname glibly. She just knew that the entire roster would be calling her that by the end of the month.

The rest of the weekend went much the same way, with the members of the Shield taking part in interviews for both radio and television on Saturday and Sunday morning. Evie made sure everything ran smoothly, keeping Jon on track during the interviews and everyone fed on time. They visited Crossfit boxes both days, though Evie declined joining their workout on Sunday, since she had tweaked a muscle in her shoulder the day before.

She wore her "Hounds of Justice" t-shirt with the three headed dog on the front along with a ruffled, slightly belled skirt with black and deep blue lace at the hem. Her ankle boots were black and featured very high heels. More than one whistle rang out as she strode across the parking lot that afternoon with coffees for the men, but she paid them no mind. Pay per view days always made her a bit nervous.

Jon sat through the meeting Paul had called that afternoon in silence. While he had no problem dropping the US Championship to someone on Raw the next night, it would have been nice to have an actual feud over the thing. However, it didn't make sense to start a feud over the belt with another Superstar when they were already embroiled in the intense showdown with Evolution. Giving a mental shrug, he watched as Paul folded his hands on his desk as he spoke.

Jon watched the pinky of Paul's right hand twitch just slightly, and knew the older man was lying about something. Paul never twitched or gave away anything until he was ready. While Jon knew enough about people to know when they were deceiving him, he also knew enough about the other man to know that he wouldn't tell them everything until he was good and ready. Deciding to leave well enough alone for the time being, Jon followed the others from the temporary office to meet Evie in their locker room for coffee and pre-match stretching.

Evie's back was to them as they entered, and Colby stepped up to her side in order to take his coffee, his left hand resting on the small of her back as he leaned past her. Before Jon could do much more than frown, she'd moved away from the other man and came to him with a Starbucks cup in her hand. Accepting the strong-smelling brew, Jon sipped it quietly while keeping an eye on Colby.

While he couldn't fault his coworker for finding the small blonde attractive, he also knew the tricks the other man was trying to pull, since he'd done them all himself over the course of his younger years. Not wanting to rock the boat, Evie had told him she'd handle it in her own way, and he was trying to let her do just that. Letting her handle things her own way was difficult, however, and he wasn't a very patient man sometimes.

As time for their match drew near, the men all began stretching and bouncing about in one of the side halls backstage. They needed to get their blood pumping and their muscles limber before moving into position for their entrance, and they all had their own routines. Colby was doing air squats while Joe did high knees and went into his own squats. Jon measured out the needed room before moving into evenly paced pushups, his thick arms flexing with the effort.

"Hey Princess," he turned his head to meet her gaze, pleased to see the way she was focused on his contracting biceps. "Come sit on my back."

"What?" She laughed as she set down the water bottles on one of the crates.

"Kick off those heels and come sit on my shoulders. I need the extra weight."

Shaking her head, Evie did as requested. Waiting until his chest was on the floor, she placed herself between his shoulder blades and sat with her legs crossed under the petticoats of her skirt. When he pushed off the ground with seemingly no effort, she shrieked with laughter.

"I'm not too much for you, Jon?"

"Please," he lowered his chest and pushed off once again. "Nothing's ever too much for me."

Dani, having already changed back into her street clothes, held up her camera with a smile before snapping a few pictures of the couple. Evie heard her phone ding a few minutes later and knew the other woman had sent the photos to her as well. Jon completed twenty pushups with her on his back before he let her stand up and he followed suit.

Evie waited until they left to get into position before she found one of the monitors in catering and sat to watch the show. She chuckled as Colby did a sort of ninja roll over the barrier, and then shook her head as Jon – his hair slicked back in the cocky way he felt enhanced his character – first tossed the US belt over the padded barricade and then proceeded to kick it out of his way after he'd hopped over nonchalantly. Joe was a bit more cautious, not wanting to risk falling on a pay per view.

Evie had been told about the two big spots at the end of the bout, so she was prepared for when four of the six men left the ring and traveled up the set of stadium stairs. She hoped Jon's shoulder hadn't been hurt too badly as he partially slid and fell down the cement steps. Colby's jump off the balcony onto the men below was more of a fall than she would have trusted the two older men with, as they weren't up to doing too much of the heavy lifting as of late. They landed in a heap, and Evie just knew one of them was more hurt than they would let on.

After the cheering was done, and while the main event of the evening was just starting, she followed along behind her three charges, carrying vests and a title belt while they moved through the halls to the trainer's office. After a quick examination of each man, the trainers were happy to announce that they were all fit to leave the arena without direct medical care. While they were sure to have aching and sore muscles, none of them were worse off than that. Evie quietly collected their ring gear, laughing as they all joked and danced about the room in their joy of having what was the indisputable match of the night.

Returning to the hotel, Evie found herself in Jon's room within the suite they had rented out for the night. "Did you need anything else?"

"Yeah," he nodded and wrapped his arm around her waist. "Stay."

"Jon . . ."

He shook his head. "Not like that. Just stay and watch TV or something."

Evie sighed, but nodded. "Need to go down to my room for clothes."

Flipping his suitcase open, he grabbed a black shirt he'd added at the last minute just in case, and handed it to her with a smile. "Nope, I gotcha covered."

Seeing the CZW shirt she'd worn at his apartment, Evie giggled. "Did you plan this?"

Jon shrugged. "I'd make you stay with me every night if I could, so I just wanted to be prepared."

Evie slipped into the bathroom to wash her face and change clothes and then wiggled under the covers so she was hidden under the sheet completely while Jon took her place in the other room.

"What're you doing there, Princess?"

Evie's voice came back, a muffled singsong under the layers of blankets. "I can't hear you!"

Snickering quietly, Jon lifted the bottom of the blankets and crawled up the bed so he was lying on his side next to her. Evie's bright smile made his own grin widen as he pushed his curls out of his eyes. Her wide green eyes were a deep jade in the soft glow of the lamp through their temporary cover.

"Welcome to my tent."

Jon snorted before murmuring quietly. "This isn't a tent. It's an igloo."

"Why an igloo?" Evie wrinkled her nose and whispered back.

"Because we're way too cool for any ordinary old tent."

Nuzzling against the cool sheets, she wiggled her hand under one of his between them. "So, what was the worst part of your day?"

"Don't know if it's really bad, but they want me to drop the belt to Sheamus tomorrow at Raw."

Evie frowned as she watched him play with her fingers. "Why?"

He shrugged a shoulder. "Paul says it's because the title needs to be on someone who can feud for it, and we're too involved with our storyline to allow for that."

"And what do _you_ think?"

"I think it would help the story, but I also think they're planning on splitting us up soon."

"Well," Evie frowned. "You won't help anything by worrying about something you can't change. Just do your best, talk to them about every little detail before agreeing to split, and it'll turn out okay."

Freeing his hand, Jon reached up and cupped the back of her head to bring her in for a soft kiss, chuckling at her quiet sigh against his lips. "Thanks, Darlin'."

"No problem. So, best part of your day?"

Jon snickered, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "Kissing you."

"Uh-huh. Great line, Mr. J, but for real."

Jon nodded. "Best part of the day was having the match of the night."

Evie pecked the tip of his nose playfully. "It was pretty amazing to watch you guys tonight."

"Worst part of your day?" Jon wasn't sure what it was, but something about speaking to her in hushed tones under the layers of cotton and batting felt secretive and intimate in a way that was more than romantic.

"Seeing you fall down those stairs." Evie's eyes were wide as she shook her head slowly. "I'm glad y'all warned me, because it looked painful."

"Baby, you shouldn't worry about me in the ring." Jon snuggled her closer. "Best part?"

"But you weren't _in_ the ring." Evie was quiet for a moment. "This."

Nodding, Jon spent a few moments kissing her softly before reluctantly letting her pull away. "So, how 'bout we order room service and watch _Breaking Bad_ for a while?"

"I've never seen it, but food does sound good."

Leaving Evie to hook up the television to her laptop, Jon ordered burgers and fries for the two of them, making sure that they would have enough ketchup for the potatoes. Evie had everything situated before he hung up, and they began the first episode right away.

O:O:O:O:O:

The next morning dawned bright and clear, though there was still a nip in the air as they drove up to Albany. Evie had paired a floral, shin-length skirt with long petticoats so that she could gather the back into a sort of fabric bustle. Her blouse buttoned down the front with little pearl buttons and had sheer cap sleeves. Jon chuckled at her lacy parasol, but grinned when a few of the guys playfully asked her for a date after the Smackdown tapings on Tuesday. She was weird and wonderful, and he was beginning to enjoy the thought of having her all to himself, even if he wasn't sure what he was doing most of the time.

Evie got them all to the hotel and then went to tea with an old friend who happened to live in Albany while the men attended a Crossfit session.

"Evelyn!" Stacia waved from a small table across the sparsely populated room. "Honey, over here!"

Evie made her way across the room, bending to hug her friend and then turning to press little smacking kisses to the cheek of the baby sitting in his carrier on the seat beside her. "Hi, gorgeous!"

"Me or Blaine?" Stacia giggled.

"Both of you!" Evie laughed along with her college roommate and friend. "You're both just so pretty, I can't stand it!"

After the normal compliments and questions about each other's families, Stacia leaned forward over their tea and little scones. "So, I heard through the grapevine that you may have landed a man."

Evie blushed and shook her head with a laugh. "Does the grapevine happen to have been on the track team with us?"

Stacia shrugged, her look of denial completely unconvincing. "You know Natalie just wants everyone to be happy. And it's only getting worse now that she's getting married."

Rolling her eyes, Evie sipped from her delicate cup before answering. "I know. I just wish that everyone would let me move at my own pace without always trying to force me into something I'm not ready for."

"Just a few questions, and then I promise I'll leave it alone, okay?" When Evie gave a nod, the brunette continued. "Is he a total meathead? Because you deserve better than some lug who can't string two sentences together."

"No, he's not a meathead! He's pretty smart, and he likes to read when he's not on the road or busy working out."

"Good. Now, does he treat you right? Not forcing you to do anything or using you in any way?" Dropping her voice, Stacia leaned closer. "Not like Riley did back at school?"

"God, no!" Evie frowned darkly. "He's moving at my pace and being very understanding."

"Perfect. Last one: Are you happy?"

Evie felt her cheeks warm and knew she was blushing a deep pink. "Stupidly."

Clapping her hands lightly, her friend gave a little wiggle in her seat. "Yay! I'm so happy for you."

Dropping the subject of her own growing relationship with Jon, Evie was more than happy to move on to discussing the upcoming wedding between their friend Natalie and her fiancé, William. They would be getting married in the desert outside Vegas in June, and both women had been asked to be in the wedding party. Stacia was excited and frightened simultaneously, as it would be the first time she and her husband left the baby for longer than a day, and Evie did her best to calm any fears the other woman was having. After all, Blaine would be perfectly safe with his grandparents.

"I know I'm being ridiculous," she gave a watery smile. "It's just so hard to leave him sometimes. I know I'm going to be a mess out there without him."

"Please," Evie shook her head. "It's going to be a wedding and reunion all at the same time. There's no way you're going to have enough time to be really miserable."

"That's true. And, it's really only going to be, what, two nights?"

Evie nodded. "Yeah. You'll be out there Friday morning and be back here by Sunday evening."

"How are you going to swing that with work?" Stacia smiled and handed Blaine over to her friend when he began to coo softly and kick his feet happily.

Evie kissed his chubby cheeks and settled him against the crook of her elbow. "I'll have the house shows off, and be back as soon as possible Sunday. I won't miss more than a radio interview."

Stacia picked up the tab for their brunch and allowed Evie to carry the smiling baby as they left the teahouse. "You are such a natural."

"Not hard when he's such a happy little baby!" Kissing him one last time, she let her friend get him situated in the Lexus SUV before sharing a firm hug. "I'll see you next month!"

Parting ways, Evie stopped to pick up lunch for the boys before picking them up from the gym.

While Evie was enjoying her brunch with her friend, Jon was busy sweating. As they were going to be facing the Wyatts on top of Jon's 20 man battle royal that evening, the three decided discretion was the better form of valor and skipped Crossfit in favor of more traditional weights and cardio. They were just finished with their last rotation when Colby's phone rang and he hit the 'ignore' button with a roll of his eyes.

"What's up?" Joe frowned as he mopped his brow with a towel before wrapping it around his shoulders.

Colby shrugged. "Nothing."

"Bullshit, man." Jon shook his head and swigged his water. "Something's been going on with you for a while now."

Joe nodded his agreement. "Girl giving you issues?"

"She wants a commitment."

Jon snorted. "And you don't?"

Colby frowned. "I want something steady, but I don't think it's with someone like her."

Seeing the problem, Jon nodded sagely. "Gotcha. You saw her as someone you could go out with, fuck whenever the opportunity presented itself, and generally just use for fun."

"I wasn't using her." Colby frowned. "Not really."

"Nah," Jon shrugged carelessly. "She was using you, too. She just wants to be able to call you her boyfriend and get higher in the company through you. And you want someone more stable and less slutty."

"Well damn, bro." Joe shook his head. "Way to be blunt."

"I've been in the same spot before. Besides," Jon frowned. "He's been sniffin' after Evie for a while now, and I'm trying not to cave his fuckin' skull in!"

Colby chuckled. "What? It's not like you're engaged. Besides, you're barely able to look at her in public. How fair is that to a girl like Evie?!"

Joe moved between the two men, his wide chest working to separate his best friend from their stable mate. "Man, you need to calm the hell down."

Before Jon could respond, Evie arrived with the SUV and their lunch. Pointing at Colby over Joe's shoulder, Jon growled dangerously. "Just watch it."

The ride to the hotel felt awkward and oppressive, and Evie had no idea what had happened while the men were at the gym. She attempted to shrug it off, wanting things to be calm for the men before they had to go to work. Jon accepted the bag containing his lunch along with the others, but remained silent until he stepped off the elevator mere inches behind Evie's white boots. He waved Joe off when the Samoan tried to stop him, instead striding after Evie's ruffled skirts.

"Did you need something, Jon?" Evie said, feeding her card into the slot on the door and holding it open with her foot.

Jon shrugged. "Want to eat lunch together?"

"Well, I didn't get any because I had brunch with a friend, remember?"

"Oh," he deflated. "Right."

"Want to eat in here anyway? I don't mind."

Jon followed her into the room and watched as she sat to untie her boots. "Changing before the show?"

"Nah, not today. Probably just take a nap in my slip and petties so I don't have to get completely redressed."

Not quite sure what she was talking about, he nodded anyway before digging into his chicken and vegetables. "Going to need to call down to the lobby for another room."

"Why? I thought you guys said getting the one room with two queens was fine."

"You didn't miss anything, so don't go blaming yourself." Jon smirked. "That was before me and Colby got into it at the gym."

"I was wondering what the hell had happened!" Evie set her boots beside the end of the bed and focused on Jon. "What did you get into it about?"

"You," Jon sighed. "He says that I'm not being fair to you because I don't pay you enough attention in public, and that people can't really tell we're together, so it shouldn't matter to me if he tries with you."

"Anyway, I'm not sharing a bed with Lopez after that shit." Jon chuckled. "And Joe snuggles."

"Baby, look at me." When his bright blue eyes looked up at her, she smiled. "You're not into PDAs, and I'm _fine_ with that. I don't need you to hold my hand every time we get out of the car, and I wouldn't want you to kiss me all over the arenas."

Evie shrugged. "I like the way we are when we're together."

Jon nodded and finished eating before cleaning up after himself, trying to make sure he got everything because it was Evie's room and she didn't like messes, and watching as she braided her hair and then disappeared into the bathroom. When Evie emerged a few minutes later, she was wearing an old Care Bears t-shirt with the cream colored underskirts that'd been under her floral skirt. She yawned and crawled up onto the blankets, stretching her legs and wiggling her toes before sighing quietly and curling onto her side happily.

"Come lay with me?" Her voice was quiet in the afternoon light, diffused by the dark curtains on the windows.

"Got an alarm set?"

She nodded, holding her hand out in invitation. "Of course."

Toeing off his boots, Jon sank down beside her. When she turned so that her back was flush to his chest, Jon chuckled and wrapped a strong arm around her waist. The way her cotton skirts looked against his worn jeans made him smile.

They were quiet for a few minutes, simply enjoying the quiet company, before Evie's quiet murmur broke the silence. "Stay."

"Wasn't planning on leaving 'til you made me." He spoke into her hair.

She giggled and slid her fingers between his around her waist. "Meant tonight."

"So did I." Pressing a kiss to her neck, Jon told her to hush. "Go to sleep, Princess. I'll bring my shit down after we wake up."

The afternoon passed quickly for the pair, with Jon bringing his things down to her room while she changed shirts and pulled on her over skirt before they left for the arena. Evie went about her normal duties and was glad to see that Jon and Colby were at least talking to each other. Joe shrugged his massive shoulders at her questioning look, though she had a feeling something she didn't know about had occurred between the two men.

Jon and Colby had spoken for a bit when the blonde came to retrieve his things, with the other man apologizing for the things he had said at the gym. While he wasn't convinced Colby would stop flirting with Evie, Jon knew there was nothing more he could do about it without causing some problems with the other man. Not wanting to have real heat with another wrestler, Jon decided to take a step back and try to hold onto his temper for a little while longer.

"Shit," Colby muttered to himself as he pulled on his cargo pants and heard the distinctive sound of a seam ripping.

Joe and Jon looked up from where they were changing, laughing at the sight of their teammate turning in a tight circle as he tried to look over his shoulder to survey the damage. Evie chose that moment to knock on the door, entering when Joe managed to contain his mirth long enough to call a welcome. Taking one look at Colby's antics, she giggled and told him she'd run down to wardrobe to see if they had a replacement.

It took Evie longer than she had planned, since some of the Divas were having issues with their ring gear and the Total Divas cameras were on hand to play to. She waited quietly, explaining the issue to one of Miss Sandra's assistants when she got the chance. Finally procuring a change of pants for her charge, she smiled her thanks and waved to April on her way back to the locker room.

Jon and Joe had decided they were tired of waiting about five minutes after Evie left the room and headed down to catering to find some tuna and vegies to power them through their matches that night. When she returned to the room, it was to the sight of Colby sitting on one of the plastic chairs, holding a little box in his hand. She handed over the new pants and turned her back while he stripped off the ruined garment and slid the new one on.

"Hey, Evie." He stopped her before she could leave the room. "I saw something the other day and thought you might like it."

Turning to face him, Evie frowned at the item in his hand. It was a little silver lightning bolt on a slider charm.

"Colby," her voice went a bit hoarse with nerves. If she screwed this up, said the wrong thing, he and Jon could have severe problems that would last for _years_. "Thank you."

Jon had finished eating and grew tired of listening to the incessant chatter of those around him. Taking his bottle of water, he nodded to Joe – who was going over a spot for later with Jon Huber – before heading back to the locker room. Evie was probably cleaning up after them by now, and he could convince her to hang out with him while he grabbed a smoke outside. He was just about to open the door when Colby's voice stopped him cold.

"Hey, Evie, I saw something the other day and thought you might like it."

Jon eased to the side, trying to peer through the crack in the door, and was just able to make out the glint of something silver before Evie spoke.

"Colby, thank you." Her voice was husky, and Jon felt his heart plummet.

 **DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUUN *ducks and covers***


	19. Learning to Talk Instead of Shout

Evie shook her head. "I can't accept that."

"Why not?" He sounded petulant.

"Because the bracelet and charms are a special thing between my boyfriend and I." Evie smiled softly up into Colby's chocolate eyes. "You're very sweet, and I'm sure you're perfect for some lucky girl, but that girl isn't me."

Colby sighed. "Yeah."

"I'm serious, Sweetie." Evie patted him on the arm. "If you're not happy with Zahra, then break it off with her. You're funny, sweet, and successful. If you don't push it, watch the arrogance a bit, and keep your mind and heart open, you'll find someone perfect for you."

Colby nodded, though he still looked a bit sad. "It's just hard, you know? I see how you are with Jon, and that's the sort of thing I want too."

"Yeah, I know." Evie hugged his waist tightly. "Now, go get some food in you before it's too late and you end up all wobbly in the ring."

Colby nodded and left the room while Evie finished picking up and setting out towels for the three men.

When the door slammed open and then shut behind her, she whirled around in fright, a cry of alarm dying on her lips when she saw that it was Jon. "Hey, Sug. Get something to eat already?"

Jon, unable to muster a verbal reply in the face of the woman who had just stomped his heart into dust, snorted and swiped his vest off the chair next to the door before spinning and stomping from the room.

The tears came fast and hard for Evie, left uncertain and afraid in the face of his anger. What had she done? Did she miss something important? Going to her bag, she retrieved her tablet to second check each appointment and interview and found them all to be in order and correct. Shaking her head, she tucked her skirts under her thighs and sank down into a blue plastic chair to wait.

Jon was livid, having thrown himself away from the door after hearing Evie thanking Colby for his gift, but he had to look past it in order to do his job in the ring. There was a twenty man Battle Royal match for his title early in the night, and he had to keep himself sharp and on point so none of the others were hurt. Falling back on his years of independent wrestling work, he focused in order to get through the match without injuring anyone and even managed to sell some of the more weak moves by lesser competitors.

The rest of the night was honestly a blur for Jon, though he remained present enough to perform well for the audience. He wasn't even entirely sure how he got back to the hotel, but he went straight to the front desk to ask for another room. When he was told that there were none available, he spun and sprinted up the stairs, determined to retrieve his bags from Evie's room and get the hell out of Albany that night.

After searching the arena for their third member, Colby and Joe had collected Evie from the locker room and headed to the hotel. Calls to his cell went unanswered. Jon sometimes disappeared for one reason or another, so the men weren't overly concerned. To Evie, however, it seemed like decades before he came slamming through the hotel room door.

"What are you doing?" Evie fought to keep her voice from becoming sharp with accusation as he threw the door open and began tearing through the room. He refused to answer, instead ripping his phone charger from the wall and shoving it into his bag. "Jon, baby?"

Incensed, Jon whirled on her. "Don't you _dare_ fucking 'baby' me! Not after what you did!"

"What I did?" Evie shook her head, helpless in the face of his anger. "When?"

"At the god damn arena! Or didn't you think I'd find out about you and Lopez having a moment?" Jon sneered, bending at the waist and twisting his head back and forth in her face.

"What the _fuck_ are you talking about?!"

The shock of Evie's use of an explicative derailed Jon's anger for a moment, though it was quick to return. "I came back to the locker room to see what was taking so long. I heard you two talking, all whispers and sweet things, and him giving you a charm for the bracelet that _**I**_ bought you!"

Shaking her head, she sighed. "Then you heard me turn him down and tell him that I couldn't take it because the bracelet is a special thing between my boyfriend and I."

Jon stopped trying to shove a pair of jeans into a stuffed duffle bag and frowned up at her through his messy curls. "What?"

Evie stomped over to him, her wrist held up for him to see. "I can tell you where and when you gave me each of these charms, and what each one means to the two of us. I wouldn't dream of adding one from another person. Ever."

Jon's mouth crashed down on hers, his relief, anger, confusion, and affection all pouring out of him. Evie grasped his sides tightly, adding her own confusion and hurt to the mix until they were able to contain themselves and come to their senses. Pulling away, she gave a sad smile.

"I'm going to go change clothes, and then I'll meet you in the igloo?"

Jon chuckled, hating himself for blaming her for something she hadn't done. "Then, more _Breaking Bad_?"

"Only if we can get food, too."

Nodding, Jon let her go change while he called around and found an open Chinese delivery place. He'd slipped his shirt over his head and toed off his shoes by the time Evie emerged from the bathroom, the Care Bears shirt from earlier now matched with a pair of striped boxers. Holding the blankets and sheets up for her, he followed her into the bed.

Once the blankets settled over their heads, Evie curled on her side and entwined her legs with his and grasped his hand on the mattress between them. "Worst part of your day?"

"Thinking that you had found someone better, and that you were going to leave me."

"Oh, Mr. J," Evie shook her head softly. "Don't you know that I'm in very real danger of falling in love with you?"

Jon's heart skipped in his chest, his skin suddenly very tight. "You are?"

Evie nodded slowly, thinking over her next words carefully. "But, I can't let myself do that unless you trust me."

"I'm so sorry, baby," Jon said. "I'm just not used to having someone think that I'm worth hanging around for."

"Well, I may schedule two other men's flights and make sure everyone is awake each morning, but I'm here for _you_ , Jon."

Jon nodded, still not sure how to handle that bit of information. "Worst part of your day?"

"Knowing that you were angry at me, but having no idea why or what I had done."

Pulling her close, he kisses her softly before hugging her to his chest for a quiet moment before they returned to their spots. "I'm sorry, and I hate that I fucked up that bad."

"If you had just talked to me about it when you saw me at the arena, we could've worked this out sooner."

"Yeah."

"If we're going to be together, going to try to make it work, you're going to have to _talk to me_ when things bother you!"

Jon snorted. "I'll try. You might have to help me work on that one, though."

"Will do. Best part of your day?"

Jon played with her fingers, choosing to focus on that rather than on her expressive eyes. "Hearing that you could fall in love with me."

Wrapping her arms around his neck, Evie slid over to kiss him long and deep. "Just know that, once that happens, you're not getting rid of me easily."

"How do you know?"

Jon knew he sounded uncertain, but there was just no other way to know. He couldn't ask Joe what the lump in his throat and the flipping in his stomach meant. There was no way in hell he would talk to one of his older friends about this sort of thing, though Brian Jennings or Chris Irvine might be able to help him out. He was in dark water with Evie as his only lighthouse.

"Because your jagged, broken edges fit mine." Evie gave a watery smile. "And, every time you touch me, whether it's a kiss or just your fingers grazing mine as I hand you a cup of coffee, I feel just a little more whole."

Jon sighed, deciding to mull this conversation over when Evie wasn't in his arms, all warm skin and smiling eyes. "Best part of your day?"

"Visiting with Stacia and her baby was fun. It was nice to not be surrounded by testosterone for an hour or so." Giggling, she let him kiss her nearly silly before pulling away. "Making up with you is _way_ nicer than fighting."

A knock at the door caused Jon to chuckle and pull away. "Food's here."

They were halfway through the second episode of the evening by the time they finished eating their dinners. Jon had asked her to come out with him and his friends from the city when they were in Buffalo the next night, and she had readily agreed. Evie gathered the trash together as they watched, laughing and making sounds of despair in turn. Walter White had just blown up a drug kingpin's lair with a bag of some sort of crystalized chemical when Jon shifted to lay down, a sound of discomfort forcing its way from his chest.

Evie frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Fucked my shoulder up a bit when I hit the edge of the ring apron."

Pushing on his hip, Evie urged him over onto his stomach before snatching a jar of muscle rub from her toiletry bag. She could feel herself blushing hotly, but decided Jon's comfort meant more than her own embarrassment. Coming up onto the bed, she straddled his lower back while unscrewing the lid from the plastic container.

Jon forced himself to remain still as Evie's soft, smooth legs settled on either side of his waist, not wanting to scare her off. The smell of cinnamon and something vaguely floral met his nose just before her small hand came down on his shoulder, slick with lotion of some kind. Whatever was on her hand went on cool and slowly warmed as she worked the muscles around his shoulders into submission.

Evie suppressed a giggle as Jon groaned and went slack beneath her massaging hands. Starting with his hurt shoulder, she focused her efforts there while slowly expanding out to include his other shoulder and then along his spine. When she slid her slick palms along his waist and then back up to his shoulders, he wiggled his hips playfully.

"Holy shit, Princess." Jon groaned as small fingertips worked along his shoulder blades.

"Feel good, Mr. J?"

He felt his eyes grow heavy and snuggled into the pillows. "Yeah, it does."

Feeling the way he was relaxing, Evie softened her movements. Shifting from deep pressure to break up the knots into a softer, more elongated slide of her hands, she continued her movements. Only when soft, snuffling puffs of air issued from his lips did she slowly move away and then began to clean up.

O:O:O:O:O:

Knowing that Evie would need to take her nap early, Joe volunteered to drive. Evie curled up on the back seat, her head resting against the window for the four hour drive. She'd gone casual for the day, pairing a black t-shirt featuring a Tim Burton style scene of Doctor Who's Sally Sparrow and the Weeping Angels along with the "Don't Blink" quote with a striped maxi skirt and ballet flats. Her hair was left to wave down her back.

Colby pulled Jon aside after he finished stowing his bags in the back of the SUV. "Hey man, got a second?"

Jon nodded, stepping away from the vehicle. He didn't say anything, choosing to hear the other man out first.

"So, I need to apologize for being an asshole."

Jon nodded. "Yeah. You do."

"Look, man," Colby said. "I'm sorry I hit on your girl, and I'm sorry I spouted off some stupid shit. I guess I just kept seeing you getting the type of relationship that I want, and I just decided that Evie was the only one it would work with."

"I got you on that one, but Evie isn't up for grabs, and I don't want to have this conversation again." Slapping the other man on the shoulder, Jon let every ounce of light bleed from his eyes. "Talk like that to her again, touch her in a way that's more than friendly, and you'll see a part of me that I guaran-fucking-tee you don't want to."

Colby's eyes went wide and he nodded quickly. "Yeah, okay."

The men climbed into the vehicle, chuckling quietly when Joe shushed them. Evie was already asleep in her seat, though, so they settled in for the ride. They had learned pretty quickly that she could sleep through just about anything once she had a chance to really drop off, so they weren't shy about turning up the radio or talking loudly to each other. Jon managed to coax Evie over on the seat so that her head rested on his toned thigh.

The trip went smoothly, and Jon gently woke Evie when they arrived at the hotel. "C'mon, Princess. Time to check in."

Evie nodded and sat up with a wide yawn that left the men laughing before poking her tongue out at them and hopping out of the car. Getting the men checked in to their room was no problem, though they had been a little disappointed to find that there were no suites available. Jon had given her a look when she'd asked the three if they were good sharing two queens, and she understood why when he simply told the others he'd meet them in half an hour to head to the gym and followed her further down the hall to her smaller room.

Evie raised a brow at his presumption. "Just decide that you're rooming with me, now?"

"No," Jon shook his head and dropped his bags beside the door. " _You're_ staying with _me_."

Evie giggled. "I am, am I?"

"Yep," Jon said. "Until you decide otherwise, when we're on the road, you're staying with me."

Evie felt her spine stiffen. "And why would we do that?"

"Look," Jon sighed and rubbed at his hair. "I've been tryin' really hard not to come off as overbearing and possessive, but you're mine and I want to make sure you're safe."

"You know I don't sleep at night, Jon. I wouldn't want to keep you awake."

Jon shrugged and began sauntering over to her. "I spent years sleeping around partiers and loud ass wrestlers."

"I don't always just sit around in my room either. Sometimes, I check out late night diners or hit up a movie." Evie curled her toes into the carpet, fighting the urge to wrap her arms around his neck as he slid his arms around her waist. "I'm not going to stop doing that just because I'm with you now."

"Wouldn't want you to stop being you, Evie." Tilting his head to the side, Jon grinned cockily, his dimples popping dangerously. "I just want everyone to know that you're my princess, that I'm your street dog, and that they'll have me to contend with if something were to happen to you."

Giving in, Evie stretched up to pull his mouth down to meet hers. She let her lips brush against his. "You make it so hard to disagree with you sometimes."

Jon kept his lips just lightly touching hers, wondering how long they could play this game. "Just because you're mine and I'm a possessive asshole doesn't mean that you can't do your normal shit."

Evie felt warm all over, her chest tight with anticipation and a soft buzzing in her spine making her realize that there was liquid pooling low in her core. Her knees kept trying to go weak, forcing Jon to take on more of her weight against his broad chest. Finally unable to deny herself the taste of his lips and tongue, she pressed her mouth fully against his. The satisfied rumbling in his chest unwound something within her, and her knees finally gave.

Jon took on her weight, too invested in the feeling of her against him to bother chuckling. Cinching his arms, he lifted her from the floor and stood to his full height. Slipping one hand down, he cupped her bottom easily.

When someone pounded on the door, Jon pulled away with a growl and was happy to see the dazed, disappointed look in his girl's eyes. "Gotta go, Princess."

"Yeah," Evie sighed and blinked a few times. "How'd I get up here?"

Jon chuckled and kissed her chastely after setting her back on her feet. "We'll be back here in time to shower and get to the arena."

Evie nodded and watched him leave before grabbing her toiletry bag. There was a small zippered pocket at the bottom containing a plastic and metal device she needed. The single battery needed to operate the clitoral vibrator was kept alongside the toy, and it went together quickly. She had never felt this kind of arousal and knew it wouldn't take long to find some relief.

Jon took the time to look something up on his phone's Google app as he rode to the gym, even though he hated to do it. Trying to work new tech made him frustrated in a way that had nothing to do with Evie, and allowed his massive problem to deflate and finally settle. Knowing her to be a virgin, he was both attempting to take things at her pace and tease her to the point of total distraction. He wanted her to be so turned on by the time they got down to it that there was no questioning or discomfort.

Leaving the address on his screen, Jon blasted through his workout with all the pent-up energy of a man possessed. He needed the outlet if he was going to be expected to behave himself when he and Evie were out with his friend Brian later that evening. He waited until they were piling back into the car before plugging the address of the jewelry shop into the GPS.

"Need to stop somewhere before we head back to the hotel."

Joe frowned. "Why?"

"Just gotta pick something up for Evie." Jon pulled out onto the road, not waiting for the others to start arguing. "Shouldn't take more than a few minutes."

When he pulled up outside the high-end store, Joe and Colby both laughed. Rolling his eyes at his friends, he cursed his inability to come on his own. Ignoring the men following him into the store and the looks cast toward them for being huge, sweaty messes, Jon stepped up to the counter and nodded at the middle aged woman behind the counter.

To her credit, she only hesitated a moment. "Can I help you?"

"Yeah," Jon nodded and pulled his phone from his pocket to show her the picture of the charm he'd seen a while ago but hadn't felt comfortable purchasing until now. "I'm looking for a charm for my girl."

Visibly more comfortable now that it appeared the men were there to make a purchase instead of robbing the place, the woman looked at the screen and smiled. "Of course! Is that all we're interested in today, or would you like to look at something else?"

Jon watched as she unlocked a glass case and slipped the item from its black velvet resting place. "No, thanks. Just that."

Joe and Colby kept any comments to themselves, and Jon let them know that they'd be meeting up with a few local friends in an hour to head to the arena before slipping into his room. Evie was sitting on the bed, her legs crossed prettily, as she applied her makeup. She had changed into a greyish green dress with long sleeves and a hood, the waist cinched in with crisscrossing ties down the back. He knew she had dressed for their date later that night, and he loved the thought of her putting so much effort into the action.

"Hi!" She smiled up at him, her lips still free of any artificial coloring. "How'd the workout go?"

"Real good," Jon said. Sitting down next to her on the bed, he handed over the small bag he's hidden behind his back. "Got somethin' for you."

Shaking her head, Evie didn't bother to fight her smile. "You're going to spoil me."

"Good! You need spoiling."

Evie rolled her eyes before sliding the small box from the confines of the bag and opening it carefully. The new charm was a pretty little dangling tiara. The round base from which it was suspended featured a fine script reading 'my princess'.

"Jon," Evie breathed. "Oh, it's just so pretty!"

Jon waited until she had threaded the braided leather through the new addition before he drew her near and kissed her deeply. "Really love kissing you."

Evie giggled and threw herself into kissing him senseless.

Jon indulged in the taste of her lips for a few minutes before drawing himself away and going for a shower. He washed quickly and was soon dressed and putting his shoes on while he simultaneously watched Evie zip her boots. She was lying back in the bed, holding one foot up into the air while sliding the zipper over her shapely calf to just over her knee before repeating the process with the other leg. Jon enjoyed the way her dress pooled around her thighs, unknowingly flashing him skin he'd only dreamed of seeing up close.

Colby decided to ride to the arena with Claudio, so he was gone by the time Evie and the others made it to the lobby. Jon had arranged for two friends to meet them at the hotel and then hang out backstage that night. They would be going out after the show, and he was happy to have some time to hang with some guys from his indy days.

"Jon," Evie nodded to two men grinning at them from across the room.

He moved to greet the two tall men, giving first Jason and then Brian a man hug, while Evie went to make sure there were no problems checking out. She and Jon would be staying an extra night, not wanting to fly out right after the show, but Joe would be heading to the airport directly from the arena. Colby was planning to do the same.

"Hey man," Brian jerked his chin at Evie across the lobby. "That your new girl?"

Jon nodded. "Yeah, that's Evie."

Jason "Cody Hawk" Myers grinned. "Beautiful girl you got there, my man."

"I'm aware. Why do you think she's going out with us tonight? You two are happily married, and I don't have to worry about you hitting on her."

Evie arrived before they could respond, smiling up at the men. "Hello!"

Jon introduced everyone and watched as they shook hands. "All set?"

"Yep," Evie said. "Joe's waiting by the door. There are some fans out front, but we can head through the back if that's your thing."

Jon declined, knowing what it was like to wait for hours for an autograph. Evie took Joe's bags and went to load up while the guys signed papers, shirts, posters, and pictures for people waiting on the other side of the temporary barrier the hotel had set up. There were photos taken and hugs given. Evie pulled the SUV around, parking as close to the hotel as she could get, smiling when she saw that some of the fans had recognized Jason and Brian as independent workers and were including them on the fun. When it became obvious that they needed to leave in order to make it to the arena for check-in, she hopped out of the car and made her way over.

Giving a whistle generally reserved for rounding up cattle, she smiled when all eyes went to her. "Sorry, everyone! We need to be going."

There was a collective groan from the crowd, but Evie simply shrugged. "If there are any children we missed, please let them to the front."

The group parted and a few boys and girls were able to get their pictures taken with the big men before they waved and filed into the vehicle. Joe drove while Evie road shotgun and Jon crammed into the back with his friends. The drive to the arena was light and entertaining, with the men talking and joking back and forth, telling stories on each other and seeing who could get the biggest laugh.

Evie went about her normal duties, laughing when Jason and Brian questioned how she was able to carry all the gear and boots for the men all at once. "I've definitely added muscle since I started working for these guys, that's for sure."

"Increased gym time might have something to do with that, Babygirl." Joe chuckled as he untied his shoes.

"Hey, Bunbun," Colby frowned as he sorted through his pile. "My gloves are missing."

"On it," Evie slipped out of the room.

Sandra had discovered the forgotten gloves soon after Evie left, and had them sitting out for Evie. Snatching them from the counter, Evie called out her thanks and returned to the locker room. The three men were in their athletic boxer briefs when she walked back into the room, and she did her best to keep from ogling them too openly.

Evie handed Colby his gloves and then looked to the others, fighting to keep her eyes from wandering away from Jon's face as he fastened his pants. "Y'all hitting catering after you're dressed, or do you want me to run out?"

"I could go for some real food."

Joe nodded. "Sounds good to me."

"Well, I'm hitting up the Effortlessly Healthy food truck parked down the block." Evie shrugged when five set of eyes focused on her. "What?! I can smell bar-b-que from here!"

"Yeah," Colby chuckled. "I'd rather have something from a place with walls."

Shrugging, Evie grabbed her tablet and searched through restaurants in the area before pulling up a writing program and grabbing her stylus. Letting each man decide what he wanted, she took down orders. Jon and Brian chose to join her in eating from the food truck, which also had a web menu. After double checking their orders, she put in the necessary calls before setting out to stop at three different locations.

An hour later, they were all sitting down at one of the tables to the side of the catering area. Evie's pulled pork 'trash plate' with added bacon had a few eyebrows rising, though she ended up sharing part of Jon's second order of steak strip 'trash plate'. Colby tried to surreptitiously slide the two caramel chocolate brownies she'd ordered along with her meal away, but was rewarded with a sharp slap to the back of his hand.

"Ow!" He shook his hand quickly. "What'd you do that for?!"

Evie shook her head, completely unimpressed. "Don't mess with a girl's brownies!"

Colby didn't reply, but waited until she was discussing Jon's shoulder issues with Brian before trying again.

Grasping his wrist, Evie held her silver fork up for him to see. "Ya mess with my food again, and I stab you with my fork. Understand?"

Jason and Brian roared with laughter as Colby nodded and then retreated to the far end of the table with the rest of his meal.

"Jesus Christ on a Yamaha!" Jason patted Jon on the shoulder. "She might actually be pretty damn near perfect for you, bro."

O:O:O:O:O:

Brian owned a bar in downtown Buffalo with his wife, Jenelle. After making sure Joe had a ride to the airport with Claudio and Colby, Evie made them promise to call her if they had any problems and to text once through security so she knew everything had gone smoothly. The others had chuckled quietly at her protective ramblings, but the Shield members knew how important such things were to her, so they didn't let it bother them.

Jon took over driving after leaving the arena, laughing with Jason and Brian as the two went on and on about the difference in the quality of cars from when they were in HWA together. "What can I say? If I can afford to not be crammed into a hatchback with five or six other guys, I'm not going to be."

Evie flipped down the visor and used the mirror to check her makeup and reapply lipstick, switching to a deep plum now that they were going out. Letting her hair down out of the simple twist she'd had it in for the last few hours, she shook out the waves and smiled as the three men playfully catcalled her. Checking her phone when it chimed, she let Jon know that Joe and Colby were both through security.

"So," Brian spoke up from the back seat. "What're you getting up to on your days off?"

Evie turned in her seat to grin at him. "I've got a bachelorette party that starts Wednesday afternoon and lasts through Thursday night, so I'll probably show up hung over on Friday."

"Really?" Brian glanced at the side of Jon's head. "In Vegas?"

"Yep," Evie made a popping sound with her lips at the last 'p'. "My friend from college is getting married in June, so it's hard to tell what they've got planned for her. She was always the wild one."

Jason chuckled. "And which one are you?"

"I'm the responsible mom of the group, of course." Evie giggled. "I used to tell Natalie – that's the girl getting married – that, if I ever went to jail, it'd be because of her."

"That bad, huh?" Jon was trying to keep the thought of Evie at a Vegas style bachelorette party from making him jealous.

Evie snorted a laugh. "We had to take basic courses in math and such for our degrees, right? Well, we took geology together to satisfy the science requirement, and the professor was this uber bitch that hated the two of us for some reason. I really have no idea why.

"So, one day she literally _screamed_ at me for not identifying feldspar correctly. I had to leave the class because I couldn't stop myself from crying. Well, Nat wasn't going to let that stand."

Brian chuckled. "What happened?!"

"She made a few calls and hired this hardcore, super built, male stripper. Goes on and on about how her friend is getting remarried, and that the poor woman wasn't sure about having a party a second time, and that she'd always had a thing for cops."

"Oh, Jesus," Jon said.

"Yeah!" Evie nodded. "So, Nat pays the guy in advance and he shows up at the prof's house. Handcuffs her and proceeds to do his thing. The woman was too embarrassed to press charges on him, and Nat had used a fake name, paid cash, and covered her tracks. A note was slipped under the prof's door saying that she should lighten up in class, or there would be a whole fleet of naked firemen next time."

The men lost it, laughing and slapping their legs in appreciation. Evie giggled along with them, letting Jon slip his fingers through her own on the center console. She loved this new, comfortable way he had with her. He was obviously more comfortable, more confident in his ability to be close to her.

When they reached the bar, Jon gave her a hard look until she folded her hands in her lap to wait patiently for him to open her door. He knew she was independent and could handle things on her own, but this was _officially_ a date, and Evie was the sort of woman who deserved to have doors opened for her. He might not be a gentleman to everyone, but he was determined to be one for her. Grasping her hand, he helped her down from the SUV and kept his fingers locked around hers as they walked the few feet to the employee's entrance at the back of the bar.

Tuesday night meant karaoke, and Brian was quick to grab one of the huge binders from the side of the stage. "So, what're we singing?!"

They slid into their chairs just as one of the waitresses hustled over to take their orders. "Hey, Boss! What can I get you?"

Brian grinned. "Vodka!"

Jason shook his head at his friend. "I'll have a rum and coke."

"Do you have Pepsi or Coke?" Evie smiled when informed that it was the former. "I'll take a double Jack, one ice, and a Pepsi chaser."

Jon couldn't believe that such a little thing was going to put down shots, but kept his thoughts to himself. "I'll go with a rum and coke, hun."

Evie was flipping through the binder, looking over her options, and Jon soon joined her. They took turns reading ridiculous suggestions to each other and to the pair across the table until Brian's wife, Jenny, arrived and was introduced. Evie smiled at the other woman, waving from her spot beside Jon.

Their drinks made it to the table soon after, and Evie sipped half of her bourbon before flipping the next page while she listened to the others talk. Finding a few songs she liked, she decided to sign up for four of them, in order. That way, she could work her way through them over the course of the night without having to fill out another slip. Jotting them down quickly, she avoided Jon's grasping fingers before quickly making her way to the stage to turn it in.

"What'd you pick?"

Evie grinned at her boyfriend before finishing off her shot and raising her glass to the waitress for another. "None of your business."

"Oh, c'mon!" Brian whined.

Evie shook her head. "Nope. Just gonna have to wait and see."

Jon finished selecting a few songs and took his slip along with those belonging to the others up to the stage. He tried to peek at the other pieces of paper to find Evie's, but there were too many. Returning to the table, he was pleased to find a fresh drink waiting on him.

Evie was halfway through her second drink the first time her name was called. Hopping up onto the stage, she smiled softly as the first few notes of CCR's "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" floated from the speakers and the words appeared on the screen. The crowd in the bar, having heard nothing but rollicking country or fast paced rock for the last two hours, slowly turned to see what this new sound was.

Taking a breath and giving thanks for the liquid courage, Evie began to sing. "Someone told me long ago There's a calm before the storm, I know; It's been comin' for some time. When it's over, so they say, It'll rain a sunny day, I know; Shinin' down like water."

Jon sat in his low chair, tapping his fingers to the familiar beat. Evie's voice was high with just a bit of a tremble as she sang along with the classic rock song. She wasn't the best singer, but her voice was pleasant and calming, and he felt himself smiling and singing along quietly. When the song was over and the bar patrons had applauded her heartily, he was called up to sing his first song – Billy Idol's "White Wedding" – and he pressed a kiss to the side of her head as they passed each other.

Starting to feel the effects of the Jack, Evie ordered one more double shot and asked for a Magic Hat beer chaser. It was time to start maintaining the buzz instead of getting completely trashed. She had plans for later and had a feeling that Jon wouldn't go along with it if she were drunk.

They spent to rest of the night like this, singing when their songs were cued up and hanging out with Jon's friends while others took their turns. Jason seemed to be a fan of hair metal, which Evie found hilarious given the fact that he was completely bald. Brian picked a lot of Rolling Stones and Bob Seger, while Jon was a definite fan of old country and classic rock.

Evie had switched to water an hour before the bar closed, and was feeling quite sober, when the DJ stepped up to the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to thank you for coming out and making this one of the most fun sessions I've ever had! We have time for one last song, and I saved the best one.

"I've been waiting for someone to do this song for literally _years_. Figures it'd end up being a tiny, pretty girl. Please welcome Miss Evie back to the stage to sing Danzig's 'Mother'!"

Evie giggled at the shocked faces around her as she nearly skipped to the stage and took her place behind the mic stand. She let her voice go quiet and dropped it a few steps, making her sound just a bit more sinister.

"Mother. Tell your children not to walk my way. Tell your children not to hear my words, what they mean, what they say. Mother!" She took the mic in hand, pulling it from the stand and walking slowly across the stage.

A table of metal heads was cheering and singing along, and she let herself smile before launching into the second verse. "Mother, can you keep them in the dark for life? Can you hide them from the waiting world? Oh! Mother!"

Brian cheered before looking over at Jon. "Holy shit, dude!"

"She's fuckin' _awesome_!" Jason agreed, his head bobbing along to the music.

Jon shook his head in disbelief as Evie finished off the song, planting the heels of her black boots and giving her all to make the song as great as it should be. He had never thought she'd be this extroverted, that she was more shy and demure in public, but he sort of liked it. Her hair shone under the bright bar lights, her dress fluttered around her thighs, and she just looked like she was having fun.

Evie finished with a flourish, giving a small curtsey totally at odds with the song she had just finished. The DJ shook her hand and then gave her a quick hug before letting her off the stage. Jon gave the other man a frown and looped his arm around her waist as they said their goodbyes to the others and made their way out of the bar.

"You good to drive?" Jon frowned and scrubbed at his messy curls. "I'm still buzzing pretty hard."

Evie laughed and took the keys. Completing the drive to the hotel quickly, she parked and let Jon lead her into the building. Waiting for the elevator door to close, Evie turned and pulled Jon's mouth down to her own. She kissed him long and deep, relishing his deep moan and stepping away from him only when the doors dinged and opened.

Holding hands, Jon led Evie into the room and watched as she sat and removed those long black boots. He toed off his own boots while she took her night clothes into the bathroom to wash her face and change. Flopping down on the bed in his boxers, he rested one arm behind his head and flipped through the channels on the television before settling on some mindless show.

Evie took a steadying breath and opened the door. Seeing Jon already under the covers, she crawled in next to him and made sure she had an alarm set for 10AM, even though it was already 3:30, before she snuggled against his bare chest. Pressing a kiss to the firm, smooth skin above his heart, she began kissing and nibbling along the flesh of his lean torso.

"What're you doin' there, Princess?" Jon flexed against her lips as she reached his abdomen.

Evie giggled and slid her tongue from his navel to his throat before nipping him sharply on the skin where his neck met his shoulder. "Playin'."

"You sober?" Jon fought for control, not wanting things to get out of hand.

Evie smiled, glad she'd thought ahead. "Perfectly."

Jon relaxed a bit. "Havin' fun?"

Going back to placing open mouthed kisses along his chest and then down his stomach, she made a low sound of agreement. Jon moaned softly as she worked to leave a mark on his left hip bone. Switching sides, she gave the right just as much attention. When his hips shifted, she felt the evidence of his enjoyment slide against the edge of her hand and she moved to rub against him suggestively.

"Princess, baby," Jon groaned.

Sliding her fingers under the waistband of his boxers, she began working them down over his hips. "Lift up for me, Mr. J."

Jon forced himself to focus on her face. "You sure?"

"Look," Evie sighed. "I've only done this once, so I'm not sure if I'll be any good, but I want to taste you so bad I can _feel_ it."

"Jesus Christ!" Jon's body surged on its own, and Evie took the opportunity to slip his boxers over his growing manhood and down his legs.

Not quite sure how to continue, Evie leaned forward and slid her tongue over the warm skin of his cock. As she watched, Jon shifted against the mattress and he grew impossibly harder in her hand. Grasping him more firmly, she licked around the head before sliding her mouth down over him until she felt him bump along the back of her throat uncomfortably.

"So good," Jon sighed and white knuckled the sheet in both hands. "Shit, baby."

Pulling up a bit, she brought her hand up to meet her lips and then moved back down. She continued her movements, slowly working her way to taking him all the way down as her jaw and throat muscles relaxed. He was groaning below her, and the sound brought a moan from her own chest.

The feel of Evie moaning around him sent energy through him, and he reacted by sinking his hands into her hair. She made a happy sound, so he tightened his fingers in the blonde waves and very slightly began leading her into the rhythm he wanted. Sinking her nails into the flesh of his hips, she followed his lead as she gazed up at his smoldering eyes.

"Christ!" Jon felt himself tensing, unable to resist shifting his hips against her mouth. "So close, Princess."

Evie took that as an invitation to speed up slightly, loving the way he instantly groaned and dropped his head back into the pillow before snapping back up to lock her in his now frantic gaze.

"Evie, baby." He panted, trying to find his voice. "You need to decide."

Understanding, Evie sped up her movements until he tightened his fingers in her hair and shot his warm load into her waiting mouth. She moaned and waited until he went boneless beneath her before making sure he was clean and then sliding up alongside him to lie against his chest once again. She giggled when he wrapped her in his arms and curled around her protectively.

She slid her arm to rest against his and looped her fingers through his. "Was that okay?"

"Princess," Jon's voice was rough against her ear. "You couldn't have been more perfect."

Evie blushed lightly and snuggled back against him, their legs entwining as Jon reached to pull the blanket over their hips. It was a few minutes before Jon's breaths became slow and soft, quiet puffs of air fanning the back of Evie's neck.

Unable to hold back, Evie whispered into the slowly lightening room. "I love you, Jon."


	20. Shenanigans!

Evie drove up to Natalie's house with a happy song on the radio, the window rolled down, and one of the ugliest bridesmaid dresses she had ever seen crumbled in the back seat. Her bags for the next week of work were packed in the trunk, a smaller bag prepared for the next few days sat on the floor behind her. With it only being Wednesday afternoon, she had two nights to spend with her best friends before heading to the airport, and it promised to be an interesting few days.

"Evelyn Sue!" Natalie's bright red hair shown in the afternoon sun as she raced out to meet her friend. "Now everyone's here!"

Evie laughed and pulled the taller woman into a fierce hug. "Let's _do_ this!"

"Stow your bag, and then we'll head to the course!"

Evie grabbed her stuff and hauled it into the house. She was immediately pulled into a group hug. "Girls! I need to breathe!"

An unexpected voice chimed in from the back of the group. "These silly bitches almost killed me, too."

"Stacia!" Evie laughed as she squeezed another friend's waist affectionately. "I didn't think you were going to make it!"

"I managed to pump enough, and Blaine's taking a bottle okay. His daddy and grandma can look after him for a day and a half." Stacia shrugged. "Nat says there'll be designated times to call home tonight and then again tomorrow so I don't lose my mind."

Alice scooped Evie up in her arms, laughing as the much smaller woman shrieked. "C'mon, girls! A shot before we head out!"

The nine other women cheered and followed Natalie's Maid of Honor into the kitchen.

"None for me, thanks." The voice, soft but confident, spoke from beside Evie.

Evie frowned up at the Japanese girl to her left. "You're not drinking?"

At Asami's small smile, Evie's voice grew louder. "You're not drinking!"

The women around them grew quiet, all eyes focused on the pair at the end of the table.

Asami grinned. "I didn't want to take over Nat's day."

"Oh, Honey!" Natalie circumnavigated the table and drew the dark-haired woman into a hug. "You're not! This is great news!"

Evie was next in line to embrace the Japanese girl. "How far along are you?"

"I'll be three months tomorrow, so I don't think it's bad luck to tell you girls now. Right?"

"It's so awesome!" Lawanna spoke up from her spot at the end of the table. "How did Keiko take it?"

Asami's smile grew radiant. "She's over the moon. Already planning the _Oshichiya_!"

Natalie smiled. "It's a good thing you went with the empire waist bridesmaid gown, huh?"

After celebrating Asami's news and taking their single shot, the women took a group selfie and then piled into two cars, various gowns shoved into bags about their feet. The drive to the paintball course took nearly half an hour, the two cars playing a kind of leapfrog with each other along the highway. Natalie flashed Evie's car from the passenger seat at one point, and Mel retaliated by mooning the Bride's car from behind Stacia's seat the next time they passed.

Evie took a moment to text Jon while some of the others with more complicated dresses wiggled into their chosen battle gowns. _Just got flashed by the Bride and our friend mooned her in return. May go to jail by the end of this._

"Evie!" Mel called her from the front of the car. "Do we have to wear stuff under these things?"

"No," Evie shrugged. "But, it's gonna hurt even with the undershirts and tights."

Nodding, Mel's black curls bobbed along. "Good point."

Waiting until everyone had their guns and face masks, Evie donned her own and posed with the girls – Charlie's Angels style – while one of the workers snapped some pics with her phone's camera. Uploading the best one to Instagram, she tagged it with ' _BrattyNattysLastBash_ ' before showing the others. Agreeing to tag everything from the party as such, the girls headed out to the fields, with Asami serving as judge from the glassed-in box.

Jon had just gotten out of the shower after his late workout when his phone rang. "Hello?"

"Man," Joe's chuckling voice greeted him. "You need to check out your girl's Instagram."

"What?"

Joe waited for Jon for pull up the browser on his tablet and then walked him through getting to Evie's feed. "See?"

"What the hell is she wearing?!"

The first picture of the day was a selfie featuring his girlfriend and a group of other women. The second was of the same women wearing horrendous dresses and posing with paintball guns. Evie's skeleton mask, the same as the men had worn for Wrestlemania, had the two chuckling. When he reloaded the page, another picture had been uploaded, with the women covered in splatters of paint and laughing as the only one in white – obviously the bride – was doing a dance in her ruined dress.

"She's with them until Friday, right?" Joe questioned while Jon shut down his tablet and went for a drink.

"Yeah, she texted me a list of planned activities." Jon snorted at his friend's chuckle. "I know, it was a very _Evie_ thing to do. They're going to dinner tonight, then a Cirque show of some sort. Brunch in the morning, then spa shit, and then partying Vegas style for a while."

Joe laughed again. "And you're okay with your girl just running around Vegas?"

"She's with friends," Jon leaned against the counter while he sipped his water. "And it's not like I'm interested in saying where she goes or who she sees. She wouldn't put up with that, and you know it."

While her boyfriend was saying goodbye to his friend, Evie was getting dressed in preparation for the evening's plans. With dinner reservations at the MGM Grand's Crush, the women then had tickets to _Zumanity_ by _Cirque du Soleil_. They would then return to the house for wine and Disney movies. While the activities the next morning and afternoon were equally as subdued, Evie held no illusions about the sorts of things that would likely happen that night.

The evening went well, and the women all had fun sharing their dinners amongst all eight of them. The show was sensual and romantic, the acrobatics making them laugh and sigh in turns. They stopped for wine on their way home from the theater, deciding between them all that they would begin their Disney movie viewing with _Beauty and the Beast_.

After changing into her pajamas, Evie called Jon while the other girls called significant others or – in Mel's case – her kids' babysitter. They spoke for a few minutes about her day and how his had gone. They made plans for her to pick him up at 10:00 Friday morning so they could catch their flight. Promising to call him the next afternoon, Evie hung up and went to join her friends.

The night passed pleasantly, the women laughing and singing along with every song. The wine flowed freely, everyone who was able to drink feeling the effects early. They painted each other's nails and talked about significant others or possible future partners. When it got late enough, Natalie suggested prank calling people the way they used to when they were little.

Asami shook her head. "You guys are crazy. My girl would be _pissed_."

"I know, I know, I know!" Evie grabbed her phone and hit the star followed by 67 and dialed Jon's number before putting it on speaker. "Shhhhhh!"

Jon paused the game he was watching and, a bit confused, answered on the third ring. "Hello?"

"Sir?" Evie tried to lower her voice, making the women around her hide their faces in pillows or behind their hands while she waved her arm at them in warning to quiet down. "Sir, I have a very important question for you."

Jon, instantly recognizing his girlfriend's voice, decided to play along. "Yes?"

"Sir, is Mr. Wall there, please?"

Jon tried to hide his chuckle. "There is no Mr. Wall here, sorry"

"Can I speak with Mrs. Wall then, please?"

Jon hid his chuckle well. "Mrs. Wall does not live here."

"Well, can I speak with Harry Wall, please?" Evie sighed in exasperation.

"There is no one here by that name, either. Sorry."

Now, Evie made herself sound angry. "Are there any Walls there?"

"No, there are no walls here. Sorry."

"Then what's holding up your ceiling?!" The girls erupted in laughter, falling against each other and toppling off the couches onto the floor. Evie managed to contain her laughter long enough to end the call before falling over in a quivering heap of gaiety.

"Classic!" Alice gave the smaller woman a high five before grinning evilly. "Let's call my husband next! He should still be awake."

O:O:O:O:O:

The women had enjoyed a day of pampering and mimosas before returning to Natalie's to allow for Stacia to express milk and the others to nap. Asami was extremely interested in the whole process and took the opportunity to grill the other woman on the ins and outs of nursing a new baby. Evie got a solid three hours of sleep before waking up to get ready for the night of craziness.

The sun was long set when Jon's phone rang with a familiar number. He answered with a raised brow. "Hey, man. What's up?"

"You need to be on Instagram." Joe didn't waste any time with pleasantries. "Now."

Jon frowned, but turned off his television and grabbed his tablet. He was happy that he had thought to bookmark what he needed to bring Evie's feed up quickly. "There's a few pictures from their spa shit."

"You need to look up the hashtag _BrattyNattysLastBash_. Looks like shit's getting wild."

Jon frowned. "Have you been spying on them all day?"

"Not _all_ day."

It took Jon a few tries to figure things out, but he was soon looking at a series of pictures. There was a group shot of the women – all but one in bright pink tutus and black shirts – posing in front of the "Welcome to Las Vegas" sign. Evie had posted a picture of a pretty blonde in a white tutu and tank top with a sash reading "bride" dancing on the bar and another of a drag queen dressed as Kathy Griffin. One of the others had gotten a picture of Natalie with another girl in a cheap tiara and fluffy veil.

"What the actual fuck?" Jon couldn't help but chuckle. "They playing truth or dare or some shit?"

Joe snorted. "Galina says it looks like some sort of weird scavenger hunt. Every so often, one of them will post scores."

As they spoke, more photos were being posted. Evie in what was obviously a men's bathroom. A beautiful black woman was spanking a man in front of the fountains. When a photo popped up of Evie getting a piggyback ride down the Strip by some tall touristy dude, Jon began to share Joe's concern.

"You think they're drunk?"

Joe snorted. "Obviously."

Jon frowned, wanting nothing more than to run out and track Evie down. It wouldn't be hard, with them all wearing those stupid skirts. Would Evie be angry to see him when she's trying to have fun with her friends?

When the next picture popped up, he was ready to disregard her feelings and to get her anyway. It was another group picture, the women flanking the bride-to-be, their arms wrapped around each other's waists. The marquee behind them a huge lighted sign advertising _Thunder From Down Under_. The thought of his little Evie attending a male strip show made his spine stiffen and his hands clench beside him. The account to which the photo was posted captioned it with 'seeing some hot ass men and then it's on to Tao to finish out the epic night'.

Joe's voice rumbled through the earpiece. "You there?"

"Yeah."

"You know she's not doing anything wrong, right?"

Jon snorted. "Yeah, I know."

"Those guys don't even go all that far. And you've been to _way_ more strip clubs than Evie."

Jon nodded, standing from his couch and stomping down the hall. "I know."

"Going out after her anyway?"

"Fuck yeah, I am!" Putting the phone on speaker, Jon changed out of his athletic shorts and into a pair of jeans before shrugging a button down shirt over his shoulders. "Those girls are drinking hard, and it's not gonna hurt anyone for me to keep an eye on them."

Joe snorted. "It might hurt you, though. Evie's not gonna like you following them around."

"They said they're going to Tao after the show, right?"

"Yeah."

"So I'll post up outside the club and make sure none of them leave with some scumbag." Jon sat down to pull on his worn black boots. "That way, some asshole can't drug one of them and get them away from the others."

"Probably the best way to handle it. Call me if you need someone to talk to on your stakeout."

"Yeah, okay. Where's Galina?"

Joe chuckled. "Over here saying we're overreacting to some grown-ass women just having a little fun."

Jon sighed. "Am I? Is this wrong?"

"Shit, Jon. I'd do the same thing. Evie's so tiny, and been attacked before, and we both know she'd jump in if someone started messing with one of her girls. I don't think it's wrong for you to just wait outside a club to make sure they get home okay."

"Okay, man. Thanks, brother."

Hanging up, Jon made sure he had his wallet and keys before slipping his leather jacket over his shoulders and jogging down the stairs. With the traffic, it took him much longer to reach the club than he anticipated. Circling the block again and again, he managed to eventually snag a parking spot in a lot across from the bachelorette party's final stop. Kicking back in the seat, he brought up the Instagram feed once again.

New pictures had been taken and tagged while he drove, and he laughed when he saw a photo of one of Evie's friends being held by four half naked men. There were others featuring the girls riding one of the Strip shuttle buses, a slightly plump, dark skinned girl rubbing a bald man's head while one of the others hugged a very small man beside him. There were some more of them outside the club, their tutus and sashes standing out amongst the other club goers, and then of them inside with waitresses bringing bottles to the tables, giant sparklers lighting up the area around them.

It was nearly two in the morning when he saw his first pink tutu of the night in person. It was a tall brunette, her arm wrapped around the waist of a blonde in white. The others soon followed, Evie bringing up the rear. Her hair was a wavy, tangled mess and her steps were wobbly at best, even in the sensible flats she'd chosen for the evening. Jon stood from where he'd been leaning on a light pole for the last hour, flicking his cigarette away and calling out to get her attention.

"Mr. J!" Evie threw her arms around his neck in a tight hug, forcing him to take on most of her weight.

"Hey hey hey hey hey. . ." The other girls had stopped, and one of the African American girls glowered at the pair. "No men!"

"Ladies, ladies," Jon held his arms out in a placating gesture. "I just happened to be walking down the sidewalk and saw Evie walking. Ain't I allowed to give my girl a hug?"

The group as a whole gave an 'aww', and he soon had his arms full as they all moved in for a group hug. The lovely Japanese girl, who seemed to be the only sober one of the bunch shook her head, but joined in the embrace anyway. Kissing Evie on the forehead, Jon accepted the easy affection before slowly pulling away.

"You girls okay to get home on your own?"

Natalie giggled. "Gotta find a cab. Bus doesn't go out to my place this time of night."

"Well," Jon said. "If you don't mind getting real friendly with each other, I can give you a lift."

The girls agreed and followed him across the street to the parking lot. Evie and Asami, being the thinnest, shared the front seat so the pregnant woman wouldn't be squished in back. The others all managed to pile in behind them, their squeals of laughter making Jon laugh in return. Reminding them that they needed to keep quiet and behave so as not to get them pulled over, Jon reversed out of the space and followed the directions that were being shouted out to him from every other person in the car.

They were three blocks away from the club when the all-too-familiar red and blue lights flashed in his rearview mirror. Sighing, he pulled over in a mostly abandoned gas station before turning off the car and placing his hands on the wheel. The officer took a few moments to get to his window, and the girls spent the time shushing each other loudly.

"Sir," the policeman's voice was tired. "Do you have any idea why I pulled you over?"

Natalie giggled from the back seat. "For having too much fabulous in one car!"

Jon was surprised when the older man chuckled. "Actually, yes."

"See?" Mel piped up from her spot under Stacia. "I _told_ you so much awesome beauty wasn't allowed!"

The officer gave a quiet sort of laugh before turning his attention to Jon. "Look, son, it's illegal for so many people to be piled into a car like this. It's not safe and no one is wearing a belt."

"Sir?" Evie leaned forward to look the man in the eye. "My boyfriend just happened to run into us as we were looking for a couple cabs and offered to make sure we got home safe. We didn't know riding like this wasn't allowed."

"That so?" He turned to meet Jon's blue eyes. "You just _happened_ to be outside when they just _happened_ to be leaving?"

"Yes, sir." Jon nodded. "That's how it happened."

The officer shook his head. "Shit, that's too funny. How far from your destination are you?"

The girls managed to get the address straight between them, and he laughed as they stumbled through telling him. "Look, I'm sure as shit not gonna waste my time filling out paper work for this. How about I follow you there?"

"That would be great officer." Jon nodded. "Thank you."

The girls started a collective victory dance as Jon slowly eased out of the lot and back into traffic. The rest of the trip was fun, with everyone singing along to the radio and waving happily at passing motorists. When the girls all trundled out of Jon's car in Natalie's driveway, the nice officer even agreed to pose with them for one last group shot before leaving with a warning for them to stay home.

Jon kissed Evie goodbye, promising to return by 10:00 that morning so they could make their flight. He chuckled at the thought of how much pain the tiny blonde was in for once her body began to burn off the alcohol. Alice soon drew her away with talk of more drinks and a game of Cards Against Humanity.

Evie switched to drinking water and sports drinks when the others began crawling into beds or passing out on couches. They had taken mugshot-style photos that would be put in a frame as a gift for Natalie to remember the night, and Evie had laughed at their smudged makeup and messy hair. She cleaned up all the empty bottles and ran the glasses through the dishwasher while sipping her water. After her second sports drink of the morning, she felt a bit more human and climbed into the shower to help move the process along.

By the time the taxi dropped Jon off at a little before 10:00, Evie was dressed and waiting to drive the two of them to the airport. Natalie stumbled out of bed long enough to pull the smaller blonde into a tight hug and thanked her for being part of the festivities. Evie thanked her for making sure it was on her days off, and the two parted with smiles and promises to see each other soon.

"Ready, Princess?" Jon looked over her sleeveless chambray dress and flats with a smile. "Feeling okay?"

Evie nodded and opened the trunk so Jon could stow his bags for the trip to the airport. "Bit of a headache, but nothing earth shattering."

They made it to the airport in good time, and Evie smiled when Jon bought her a latte from Starbucks to help fight off the last of her discomfort. "Thanks, baby."

"No problem."

"You know," Evie fixed him with a hard stare. "I should be mad at you right now."

"For what?!"

"For following me around last night like I couldn't take care of myself."

Jon shook his head. "I didn't follow you around all night."

When she only gave him a disbelieving smirk, Jon launched into the story of how Joe tracked her and what they did from there. Evie sighed and shook her head at their antics, having forgotten how paternal Joe could be. Knowing that the two of them only had her best interests at heart, and that the hashtag the women had used the night before was public, Evie decided she couldn't be too angry. Jon had simply followed along with what he was able to and then popped in to check on them at the end of the night to make sure they were okay without being too patronizing.

"Well, at least you didn't stand around behind us wherever we went. That would've just ruined the whole night."

Jon snorted. "Yeah, I have zero interest in watching men dancing around half naked. But I don't have a problem with you enjoying yourself with friends, either. You need that shit."

Evie snorted a laugh as she sipped her coffee.

"I _do_ have a problem with strange men giving my girl piggyback rides down crowded Vegas streets, though."

"Was it the Vegas part or the other people seeing me part?"

Jon frowned darkly. "It was the some asshole had his hands on my girl part."

"Oh, calm down. It was just for a few minutes." Evie rolled her eyes. "I have to put up with strange women touching you _all the time_. You think that's easy for me?"

Jon stopped, his face falling. He'd never thought about how Evie felt seeing him hug other women, or how she dealt with these girls lusting after him in the crowds and online. She had a much more active presence on the internet and social media, and she had to have seen a lot of comments and discussions that made her uncomfortable.

"Well, shit," he sighed heavily. "I'm not lookin' at other women the way I look at you."

Evie shook her head. "I know that. And I know that being a Superstar with the WWE means you're going to have to be in contact with fans. I'm just saying that I deal with my jealousy, so it's not going to kill you to deal with your own from time to time."

Jon snorted. "Princess, I'm a jealous man. It pisses me off every time one of the guys calls you some stupid pet name or gives you a fuckin' hug."

"They don't mean anythin' by it."

"Oh, don't kid yourself Darlin'. Some of them mean a lot by it, and there's no way Colby's cool with the way things turned out. He's just trying to be decent so no one has to be pissed off." Jon grinned, his dimples standing out in stark relief. "I'm just glad you don't look at any of them that way."

Evie shook her head and leaned over to kiss his cheek softly. "Only man I have eyes for is you, Jon. Don't want you thinking otherwise."

"You're my girl, Evelyn Sue McCallister." Running his rough fingers over her soft cheek, Jon tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "I'm not good at a lot of things, okay? And I know I can be a lot to handle sometimes. But, I promise you that – as long as we're together – I will protect you and make sure no one else comes between the two of us."

Thrown off by the intensity of his gaze and the seriousness of his tone, Evie couldn't look away. "Jon?"

"I love you, Evie." Jon shrugged. "You don't have to love me back, and I know it's way too soon to be sayin' this shit, but it is what it is. And I love you."

Before she could swallow the lump in her throat and respond, the announcement for their plane came over the loudspeaker. The moment broken, Jon stood. He was feeling exposed and uncertain now that those words had fallen from his mouth, and he was happy to have a bit of an interruption.

"C'mon, Princess. Let's move."

 ***Angels singing Hallelujah in the background* He said it first! (You know, when they're both awake) I felt like Evie deserved to have some fun.**


	21. Try A Little Tenderness

**SPECIAL NOTE/NOTICE! I will be in the process of moving this weekend. No clue how long it will take or if I'll be able to post at my normal time on Tuesday. I'll be enrolling my kids in a new school that starts on the 31st and getting things situated for all of that (I do so love transferring school records and such). I may have to cut down to posting on Fridays only for a few weeks in order to get all the RL stuff done.**

Evie made it through Friday's house show easily, though her legs were beginning to throb by the time they made it to Jonesboro, Arkansas, for Saturday's event. She recognized this particular and distinctive pain as a harbinger of her period, and was glad that she always carried a few sanitary supplies for such occurrences. That afternoon, she begged off visiting the gym in favor of an extended soak in a hot bath, hoping that it would help ease her tightening muscles.

She was just drying off and pulling on her most comfortable panties when her phone rang with Joe's personal ringer. "Hey, Joe."

"Hey, we're about to head back, but we're stopping for food on the way. Want anything?"

Evie paused for a beat. "Taco bell?"

Joe chuckled. "Are you serious?"

"Unless there's a Chipotle, then I want that instead."

"Got a craving, babygirl?"

She sighed and flopped back on the bed before curling on her side in an attempt to relieve the pulling, grinding feeling in her stomach and lower back. "Please don't."

"Don't what?" His voice was obviously confused.

"Don't tease me about girl crap."

Joe snorted. "I would never tease you about that. I have sisters and a very strong fiancée, remember?"

"Right. Forgot about that."

"So, you want something spicy?"

"Uh huh." Evie felt her stomach rumble at the thought of something hot and iron rich. "Steak and black beans, please."

"No problem."

Ending the call, she forced herself to stand up and pull on her long, dark grey tutu skirt and the shirt she'd grabbed to pair with it. The white shirt featured Grumpy Bear from the old _Care Bears_ show with 'Grumpy Day Shirt' written around him as he frowned and stomped through the clouds. She was happy that she remembered to pack a pair of ballet flats, as there was no way she would be able to walk in heels for the next few days.

Combing her hair, she looked up when the suite door opened and the guys walked in holding up the sacks containing their food. "Thanks, guys!"

They ate together, laughing as Colby recounted the behavior of the members of the Crossfit class they had joined that day. One of the women had followed him around, her eyes wide and beseeching as she asked him all sorts of questions about his daily workouts. A man had done much the same with Joe, nearly sitting in his lap and then pretending as if it were an accident. Jon had simply been his usual, surly self, so that no one wanted to be too close to him.

"Yeah," Colby chuckled and knocked Jon's shoulder playfully. "No one wants to pet a dog that might turn and bite their hand."

"Fuck off," Jon raised a hand to push the other man with a smile.

Colby waited a few moments, finishing the last of his burrito, before backhanding Jon's bicep with a sharp _thwap_. Jon returned the action, chuckling as Colby made a quiet sound of pained displeasure. The soft laughter halted when the next hit was much harder and aimed at his thigh.

"Guys," Evie spoke up from where she was slowly eating her lunch. "C'mon. Just call it a truce and eat."

Ignoring her, Jon tackled Colby out of his chair. Their long legs flew out, knocking into the underside of the light table. The force of the blow sent the table into the air a few inches. While the men's containers were mostly dry – the shells of their burritos doing much to contain any liquid – and their drinks were in water bottles, Evie's burrito bowl and open cup of soda were not. The shifting of the table caused the disposable bowl to skid off the now inclined surface, only coming to a stop when it hit Evie's chest.

Jon sat up at her dismayed sound, followed quickly by an equally disheveled and grinning Colby. One look at Evie's shocked expression, her mouth a perfect 'O' of surprise, along with the sight of salsa and the juices from the beans soaking through her shirt caused them both to burst into laughter. When her eyes flicked up from surveying the damage to meet his own, however, Jon saw tears threatening to fall.

Evie felt the warmth of the food before she even realized the severity of the damage done. Joe had gotten her the hottest, reddest salsa the restaurant carried, and the black beans were also a bit soupy. The resultant mix of liquids meant that her shirt was most likely completely ruined. As she tried to decide what to do, her cramps came back full bore while her stomach complained at not being filled. The whole situation felt suddenly completely out of her control, and as if it was the worst thing that possibly could have occurred.

The mirth of two men on the floor drew her attention, and she looked up from her shirt to see them laughing at her. "It's not funny."

Jon was confused. What the hell was wrong with Evie? "Well, it kinda is."

"No, it's not." Evie scooped the cup and her takeout container off the floor and dropped them carelessly onto the table before standing. She gathered the front of her skirt to act as a sort of pocket to keep the rest of the spilled food from dropping to the floor. "I'm going to bed."

"Princess!"

Refusing to let them see the tears now tracking down her face, Evie shouldered the bedroom door open and locked it behind her. The moment she had the solid wood between her and the table, she hurried into the bathroom. Letting the tears fall, she mourned for her shirt as she tossed it in the trash and brushed off the skirt before rinsing it in the bathtub. By the time she pulled on a light nightgown, not wanting anything constricting her waist, Evie's tears had dried and she knew she had overreacted. Unlocking the door, she read the short note Colby had slid under the door with a smile, and then left it open a crack as she climbed under the covers.

While Evie was locking the bedroom door and heading to the bathroom, Jon was looking at his friends in confusion. "What. The. Fuck?"

"Dude," Joe shook his head and wet a cloth to clean up the floor as much as possible. "Not cool."

Colby threw his trash away. "I'm with Jon on this one."

Joe looked between the two of them with a frown as he dabbed at the spots of red on the beige carpet. "Are you two really this stupid?"

Jon snorted. "Apparently!"

"She's been taking pills every 4 hours for the last two days. She begged off the gym because she wanted to soak in a hot bath. She is having cravings. . .?" When he got nothing but blank stares in response, the big Samoan shook his head. "She's on her period, you assholes!"

"Okay," Jon shrugged. "And?"

While Joe launched into telling Jon how bad things could be, Colby wrote a quick apology note and slipped it under the locked door. Grabbing his bags, he let the others know that he would meet them at the show.

"My mom had really bad ones. I learned to avoid being around her when that happened, so I'm taking off." Colby pulled his hat on, tucking his hair behind his ears.

Jon snorted. "Coward."

"Maybe, but I lived this long." Giving a wave, the two toned man slipped out the door.

Turning to Joe, Jon gave a helpless shrug. "So, what do I do now?"

"What I want to know," Joe said. "Is how the hell you didn't know about her time of the month."

Jon shrugged. "It's not like she told me."

"Okay, but you guys are sleeping together now." Joe shrugged. "Thought it would've come up is all."

Jon frowned and rubbed at the dull ache forming in his forehead. "It's not like that with us."

"Seriously?!"

Jon shrugged. "Taking it slow and trying to do things right."

"Well," obviously deciding to leave the subject alone, Joe cleared his throat. "Evie could either want to eat everything or not be able to stomach anything. Chocolate is a nice thing to have on hand, though some girls want ice cream instead."

Joe shrugged. "I just know that it can be a really emotional time, and that your princess needs someone to take care of her right now, _not_ someone to laugh when she feels like crying."

Nodding, Jon finished his burrito in two large bites and cleaned up the rest of the mess. "So, I'm gonna run and get her a few things. Did you want me to drop you off at the show first, or what?"

"Meh, I'll come with. It's too early to check in for the show, and she could probably use as much quiet as possible."

Leaving the hotel, the two men first stopped at the drug store where Jon bought chocolate bars in different sizes and brands, Midol, and Pamprin.

A middle aged woman reached past the two men to grab a few boxes from the shelf, smiling as she heard them debating the merits of purchasing both major brands in order to cover their bases. "Buying for the girlfriend?"

Jon nodded. "Yeah. No clue what I'm doing."

"Well, you can't go wrong with buying both." The woman turned and was almost to the end of the aisle when she suddenly spun around to face them. "She might like a heating pad or some of those patches that heat up when you wear them."

Thanking her, Joe and Jon went two rows over to find the pull-and-peel heating patches that Evie could wear under her clothes. They then popped into the closest Chipotle to replace what she's missed eating at lunch, knowing that she could warm it in the suite's microwave whenever she woke up, getting the sour cream and lettuce on the side. On the way back to the hotel, Jon spotted an ice cream parlor and ran in for a small container of mint chocolate chip that he could fit in the tiny freezer in the room.

After storing the food, Jon checked on Evie. Finding her asleep, curled up on her side with a pillow hugged to her tummy, he sighed. How could he have been such an asshole to her earlier? Writing her a note, he left it on top of her iPad before heading out to the show with Joe right behind.

O:O:O:O:O:

Evie woke as the sun disappeared behind the distant hills, the sky awash in brilliant pinks and purples. Hobbling to the bathroom, she took care of her immediate needs and then reached for the iPad in its resting place on her bedside table. She smirked when she saw a note from Jon folded just a bit off center on top of it.

 _I'm sorry I laughed and acted like a jerk. I'm sorry. There's food in the fridge, ice cream in the freezer, and chocolate on the counter. I love you, Jon_

Grabbing her phone, she sent him a quick text. _You're forgiven._

Warming up her dinner, Evie added the lettuce and sour cream before curling up on the couch to watch _Happy Gilmore_ while she ate. The bag with the chocolate bars also contained some medication that would help her cramps a bit, and some patches that she managed to apply to her lower back and then to her lower abdominal muscles. By the time Jon returned, Evie was stretched out on the bed with pillows under her feet to elevate her legs, knitting and laughing at another movie.

"Hey, Princess." Jon kicked off his boots and kissed her hello.

Evie smiled against his lips. "Hey, babe. How was the show?"

"Good. People are loving this feud." Chastely kissing her once more, he went to take a shower.

Finished with her ice cream, she tossed the empty container before wriggling down under the covers. When Jon finished in the bathroom and stepped through the door to see the shape of her under the covers, he grinned and then slid between the sheets to join her. When Evie curled tightly onto her side, he reached for her hand first.

"Worst part of your day?"

Her voice was slightly pained as she answered. "Freaking cramps and wanting to cry at every stupid thing. I cried at the end of _Happy Gilmore,_ for God's sake!"

"Sorry," Jon frowned and pulled her into his chest for a soft hug. "I've got zero experience with this shit."

Pressing a kiss to his neck, she sank back into her original spot. "It's okay, baby. I love you anyway."

Jon froze. "What?"

"I've known it for a while now. Even told you once when you were asleep." Evie shrugged. "Guess I finally got the balls to say it out loud when you could hear it."

Sliding forward, Jon kissed her so softly that his lips barely touched hers. "Say it again?"

Evie giggled. "I love you, Jonathan Good."

Kissing her deeply, Jon chuckled. "I love you back."

Evie snuggled into his chest. "Worst part of your day?"

"Making you cry." Jon ran his fingers through her hair. "I hate that shit. And you already know what the best part of my day is, so don't ask."

Knowing that he was referring to their declarations, Evie nodded and supplied her own. "Waking up to food and ice cream was pretty amazing, but I enjoy you being sweet."

Jon chuckled and hugged her close, rubbing his hand down over her spine and massaging her lower back through her shirt and the patch that was offering her a modicum of relief. When she gave a low sound of pleasure and let her legs relax just a bit, he coaxed her closer and spread his huge hand to span the width of her back just above her hips. Pressing a kiss to the junction of her neck and shoulder, he worked her tensed muscles slowly as she sighed once again.

"Just don't tell anyone else." Jon's voice was a low rumble against her ear. "Don't want people to think I'm getting soft."

Evie giggled. "Nope. I only want you bein' this sweet with me."

"So," Jon folded the covers down so they were once again in the fresh air. "They're definitely going to break up the Shield the Raw after Payback."

"Really? Why?!" Evie drew back to frown up at him. "You guys are at the top of your popularity!"

Jon nodded. "They want it to be a huge surprise when Colby double crosses us and joins the Authority."

"What?!" Evie shook her head. "I'm not gonna be able to handle this, am I?"

Jon chuckled and moved them around until they were spooning quietly. He liked the feeling of her wrapped in his arms, the two of them pressed together from chest down. Her body was tiny next to his solid frame, and he felt massive and entirely masculine when he held her.

Her voice, quiet in the darkness of the room, drew his attention away from thoughts of her fragility. "Do you think they'll let me stay with you? They might decide my assistance isn't necessary without three of you to worry about."

 **Fluuuuuuuuuuuuuuuffffff!**


	22. EuroTrip

**I took some liberties with the trains and ferries in this chapter.**

"If that bitch's hand goes any lower, I swear to God!" Dani frowned darkly as her sharp eyes looked over the scene in front of the airport's coffee shop. Curtis was currently posing for pictures with some fans, and a leggy brunette was doing her best to get a handful of his rear end while simultaneously flashing a more-than-healthy dose of cleavage.

Evie shook her head and sipped the latte she'd purchased to accompany the late night/extremely early morning muffin she indulged in before the flight to Amsterdam. "At least he seems completely uninterested."

"Well, there is that." Dani stifled a laugh when Curtis extricated himself from the groping woman with a disdainful scowl. "The Shield guys at least get a lot of kids."

Evie smiled as she watched Jon, Joe, and Colby posing with a tiny girl in a yellow sundress. "Yeah, and the ones who're around this time of night just happened to be here for flights of their own."

Tossing their trash, the two women joined the others as their plane was called. Jon grasped her hand tightly, his callused palms scratchy against her own. Since her admission of love, he had grown even more physical with her, though he avoided kissing or hugging her in public. Evie had nearly jumped out of her skin the first time he'd taken her hand in front of a group of his fans, but she soon settled in to the new arrangements.

The WWE had given each wrestler and employee a stipend for the European tour in the form of prepaid cards that could be used anywhere. While many of the wrestlers, managers, and other on-air talent had simply booked first class tickets on various airlines and the standard hotels, Evie had taken an entirely different route with the Shield, Jon, Josh, Trinity, herself, Curtis, and Danielle. Booking seats on Delta's luxurious Sky One, she had guaranteed them all plenty of room to stretch out and sleep.

When she returned to her seat and unzipped her carry-on to reveal her knitting needles and some deep blue yarn, Jon chuckled. "Something new?"

"Uh-huh. Thought I'd knit myself a shawl while we spend hours and hours on planes and trains for the next little while."

"You ready for this craziness?"

"Me?! You guys are the ones with seven shows in as many days! I'm just along for the ride."

"Yeah, okay." Jon scrolled through his iPod looking for the correct playlist to help him sleep.

"Evie," Trinity stood so they could see each other over the curved privacy walls. "This is too goddamn awesome!"

"Yeah, it is!" Curtis raised his glass to her in a toast.

Josh stood from his spot across the cabin. "How'd you swing this again?"

"I used everyone's cards, got you all Eurorail passes, and reserved train tickets almost two months ago. Then, I set up bed and breakfasts in the different cities instead of booking overpriced hotel rooms. I used the extra money to reserve flights to Amsterdam tonight and then to various home airports for everyone on the return."

When everyone stared at her blankly, she frowned. "What did y'all _think_ I needed all your details for all those weeks ago?"

"Hell," the Samoan Jon chuckled. "Trin, Jon, and our cuz all trust you. I just figured you needed our help with something you couldn't give details about."

"So, I could've killed someone, and you wouldn't have questioned me needing your names and information?"

"Nope," Josh grinned. "Well, we'd probably wonder if you needed help with a body."

Colby's snort could be heard from his little pod. "Nah, that's what _we're_ for."

As everyone settled in to sleep away as much of the nine hour flight as possible, Evie requested a glass of wine and some dinner from one of the attendants. She smiled over at Jon as she began scrolling through her files of patterns until she found the one she wanted. With plenty of time planned for riding in planes and on trains, she wondered how long it would take her to complete the simple pattern.

Jon watched her, smiling softly. "Gonna be okay if I sleep?"

"Aren't I always?"

He shrugged. "Got nowhere to run off to in the middle of the night while everyone else is out cold."

"Eh, I'll survive." She winked. "Now, get some sleep. Amsterdam's six hours ahead of where we just left."

For Jon, the flight felt as if it took less than an hour. He positioned his seat so that he was lying flat, the oversized comforter and pillow lulling him into a restful slumber. The cushioned headphones he wore cancelled out any hushed conversations that might happen around him, and the pod's partitions worked so well that the only thing he saw when he opened his eyes were Evie's hands working her yarn into something she'd be able to wear.

The following days were a whirlwind of fan interactions, live events, and media interviews all bookended by gym visits and hurried meals. Evie stocked her purse full of fruit, nuts, protein bars, and the Kill Clif or Onnit shakes the guys loved so much in order to help them get through the day. She had only gained access to the latter two when they hit a local box in Frankfurt, Germany, for a Crossfit session early Thursday afternoon.

Jon, Joe, and Colby were about to enter through the rather subdued German crowd when Evie felt the first stirring of unease. There was a group seated right against the barricade to the left of the ring, five large men and three women, who weren't reacting along with the crowd. Instead, they were throwing insults at any performer who got within earshot and doing their best to insert themselves into the action.

The Shield came through the stands, smirking and accepting pats on the back, shoulders, and arms with practiced ease. Just as Jon jumped the barrier and walked around the side of the ring to climb the set of steps at the front corner, a flash of dull red caught his attention. Sliding his eyes to the right, he fought down a shudder of revulsion. Seeing an ex-girlfriend was never an easy thing, and having one pop up unexpectedly in the middle of a show made things all the worse.

Evie, watching on a monitor backstage, frowned. "Who's that?"

"No idea," Dani spoke from beside her. "But it looks like your man wants nothing to do with her."

"Think it's an ex?"

A deep chuckle drew their attention away from the screen and to the tall, bearded man behind them. "That's an ex alright."

Evie turned to face Jon 'Luke Harper' Huber. "Should I be worried?"

He snorted and shook his head. "Only thing you got to be worried about is her. He'd rather put his head through a woodchipper than come close to her ever again."

"You sure?"

Huber chuckled. "Yeah. He was young, stupid, and alcoholic, and Antonia (better known as Hellena Heavenly) was his enabler."

"Thanks," Evie nodded firmly and turned back to the screen while Dani smirked and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Don't you 'what' me!" Dani's smirk grew wicked. "Don't act like you're not being a territorial bitch."

"You sayin' I ain't allowed to be a territorial bitch?" Evie let her accent slip, not caring that the other woman laughed at her antics.

"Hell no, Honey! You do what you have to do!"

While the women were chatting backstage, Jon was ducking a clothesline before dropkicking Orton in the chest. He tagged Colby in, sliding out of the ring to catch his breath. He heard his name being called by a familiar voice behind him, though he did his best to block it out. When Joe glanced over his right shoulder and then raised a brow, Jon gave his head a slight shake. The last thing he wanted was to give that woman an ounce of attention.

Finishing the match in dominant Shield fashion, the three men celebrated in the ring before making their way around the ring. Signing autographs and taking pictures with as many fans as possible, they slowly made their way to where the group of independent wrestlers was seated. Focusing on the men in the group that he knew, Jon was able to ignore the way the fake redhead was thrusting her newly ample chest up while she batted her eyes.

"Mox!" She grasped his arm before he could step away.

Jon snorted. "I'm not that guy anymore, Antonia."

Stepping away, he followed Colby up the ramp. Joe followed closely behind, patting him on the back and urging him forward. The two men had been around long enough to hear about Jon's exploits over the years, and so they knew not to ask him about the woman who had spoken to him so familiarly.

"Hey guys," Evie said as she handed them all towels and took the presents they'd been given by the fans a few moments before.

Jon waited for the others to get a few steps ahead before he spoke quietly to Evie. "I know you saw what happened out there."

"Oh, the redhead? Yeah, I saw."

Having expected her to blow up, Jon drew her into a side hall. "What, no yelling?"

"Why? Do you want her?"

"Hell, no!" Jon shook his head. "That bitch is psychotic, and I shouldn't have been with her in the first place."

"Can I ask. . .?"

"It was way back when I was about nineteen or twenty. She'd just left her husband, gotten herself looking good, and just was a total ring rat. I mean, she wrestled, but she still had rat mentality. I shouldn't have fallen for it, but she was always buying me alcohol – which was a pretty big problem for me back then – and washing my clothes and shit."

Evie nodded. "Okay."

"Okay?" He frowned. "That's it?"

"What? Did you want me to yell and scream?"

"Well, I thought you'd be upset or _something_!"

"Jon, baby," Evie looped her arms over his sweaty shoulders and stepped into him. "I'm not going to stand here and pretend that I like her, or that I'd be okay with the two of you speaking privately. But, I'm not going to pitch a fit because of someone who isn't involved in our relationship if she isn't trying to get between us."

Jon smirked and pressed her back against the wall, his arms resting beside her head caging her in. "So, you're fine with her _wanting_ me, but –"

"I'll remove favorite body parts if she tries to touch you again."

Jon groaned and kissed her deeply. "You know, you're kinda hot when you're jealous."

"Yeah, well," Evie kissed him between each word. "I have to do something to keep psycho ex-girlfriends away from my extremely attractive boyfriend."

Jon chuckled and began leading her down the hall to their locker room. "So, we're getting a train in a little over two hours?"

"Yep," Evie said. "We've got a sleeper compartment, so you will arrive in Paris already rested and ready to go in the morning. Then, it's a quick train to the coast and an overnight ferry to Cork, Ireland."

Resting his hand on the door, he quirked a grin when she leaned against the wall instead of stepping through ahead of him. "Coming?"

"Nope. Not with all the guys sharing one room." Evie shook her head and stuck out her tongue. "Do _not_ need to see all that."

Leaving her at the door, Jon sank down onto the bench next to Joe before looking around at the other men. "Everyone holding up okay?"

Claudio nodded. "Yes, quite well."

Dave Batista chuckled. "Someone said you three are traveling by train or some dumb shit?"

" _Dumb_?!" Jon shook his head. "We're getting a sleeping compartment on the train. We'll be in Paris in time to hit Crossfit in the morning for less than you're paying for a flight and a room."

"Quick," Colby interjected. "Ask how we're getting to Ireland the next night!"

Cena raised a brow, though his wide grin clearly showed that he wasn't sharing Dave's negativity. "Okay, how?"

Colby snickered, answering Cena while staring at Dave. "Evie's booked us a berth on a ferry, so we get dinner, a spa massage, a good night's sleep, and all that for about as much as you're paying for the first class ticket straight to London."

Jon shook his head at his cocky stable mate and collected the Shield's gear before passing it out the door to Evie. If the other man wanted to spend his time mouthing at the older guys, that was on him. Jon knew Dave to be a conceited asshole, and that anyone showing him up would be met by stiffer punches and more grueling matches. He could only hope that these changes would lead to the wrestler-turned-actor actually putting on a watchable match instead of the sloppy, botched moves Jon, Joe, and Colby had been forced to sell over the last few weeks.

Evie was on her way back from wardrobe, humming softly as she trudged up the back stairs. Some of the arenas in Europe weren't made for the WWE's style of show-running, and there tended to be a lot of running up and down stairs involved with backstage work. The front two stairwells were closer to the locker rooms and the temporary offices as well as the open performance area, and were much more crowded than the one Evie had opted for. Catering and wardrobe were both in the bottom level of the current venue, and Evie had become familiar with the less traveled rear stairway in order to move between floors quicker.

"Excuse me," the smoky voice of a woman drew Evie's attention away from her inner ramblings. "I was told to meet Jon Good – that's Dean Ambrose – backstage, and I just got so turned around. Any chance you could tell me where to find him?"

The woman standing in front of Evie on the landing was what Annette would have charitably called a 'piece of work'. The red dye she'd used on her stringy hair was fading, her roots showing badly. Her forehead showed the effects of a heavy Botox addiction while the corners of her eyes and mouth made no secrets about the truth of her age. Her tank top, emblazoned with The Shield's logo, was at least a size too small, and the tops of her pink zebra print bra cups peeked out from under the black material.

"I'm sorry," Evie made sure her smile said that she was anything but saddened by the situation. "But you seem to be mistaken. Jon wouldn't have invited you backstage."

Antonia frowned, making the fine lines stand out even further. "Why? Because he's already got someone to fuck between shows? He always _did_ have a pretty big appetite. But that's okay. Not like we haven't shared before."

"That's disgusting." Fighting past the bile that threatened to rise in her throat, Evie shook her head. "The guys have to be heading out soon, and he wouldn't be interested in speaking with you right now."

The redhead's smirk made Evie want to throw her down the stairs. "You're fucking him aren't you? He still sling dick like a champion?"

"I saw you at ringside earlier." Evie fought to control her voice as she chose her plan of attack. "You look a lot less appealing up close."

"What the fuck did you just say to me?"

"That you're less attractive than you seem to think?" Evie quirked a sardonic brow and continued before the other woman could regain her voice. "And I'm going to continue by stating that, if you try to put your skank-ass hands on my man one more time, you _will_ be pulling back a stump."

The faux-redhead smirked in return. "Honey, I don't know who you think you are, but Mox and me have _history_."

"Yeah," Evie snorted. "And that's where it's going to stay."

Antonia lashed out, slapping Evie across the cheek sharply. Evie absorbed the pain as she slid into the stance Stu had shown her months ago. Bending her knees, she used all the leverage she had to jab the taller woman sharply in the ribs. Antonia gave a squeak of pain and wrapped her hand in Evie's blonde waves, jerking her head sharply to the side and nearly throwing her down the steps.

Evie corrected her balance, twisting her upper body and driving her assailant's back against the cement wall. Grasping dull red hair and bringing her right knee up, Evie was able to land two quick blows to Antonia's nose and overly smooth forehead. When the older woman stumbled, Evie pushed her shoulders so that she landed on top of her chest.

"Now you listen to me, and you listen to me good." Evie sat astride Antonia's hips, her knees planted across the prone woman's forearms. "You ever so much as look at Jon again, and I will _end you_. Now, get the hell up."

Standing, Evie hauled the other woman to her feet, cursing as her own left heel cracked and broke under her miniscule weight.

"I'll sue," Antonia smirked as if she had all the answers.

Evie snorted. "Trust me, honey. You go ahead and do that. I'm sure Steph and Paul would just love to bring the WWE's team of lawyers in against you and whatever piece of crap dog-and-pony independent outfit you're with.

"And wouldn't promoters just be fallin' all over themselves to hire a – what? – nearly forty year old woman, whose in-ring ability has to be mediocre at _best,_ and who is very obviously more interested in screwing the talent than actually _being_ the talent?!" Evie made a ' _tsk_ ' sound and shook her head. "No. No, you won't sue. You see, it wouldn't be in your best interest. And people like you are alllllllll about doing what's best for no one but themselves."

Pushing Antonia along, Evie limped her down the stairs to the back door. Shoving her through the entrance, Evie made sure the door locked before turning to once again tackle the stairs.

"Where the hell is Evie?!" Jon was pacing outside the locker room, unhappy to be kept waiting.

Joe sighed for the tenth time. "Relax, man. She probably got held up at wardrobe trying to make sure everything's checked in. You know how she can be."

Colby's eyes widened as he looked past his two companions. "Uh, guys."

Spinning, Jon cursed as he caught sight of Evie. Her hair was a complete mess, a red mark on her cheek showing the very distinct outline of a hand. The blouse and jacket she'd paired with her puffy skirt was twisted around her torso, a button missing from the tweed garment. She held her shoes in one hand, the heel of one very obviously broken beyond repair.

Not even breaking pace, Evie smiled at her boys. "I'll just be a minute. Need to switch these shoes."

Before they could respond, Dani and Saraya stepped out of the women's dressing room and began giggling. "You look like a woman who just handled some shit."

Evie gave a Gallic shrug before removing some pins from her hair and shaking out the waves before coiling the tresses atop her head in a messy bun. "Ya gotta do whatcha gotta do."

"What the hell is goin' on?" Jon frowned at the women when it became clear that no one was going to explain Evie's current state.

Evie shook her head and gave him a smirk while reaching for the door. "Sometimes a girl has to make sure the past stays in the past."

The door shut behind Evie, and Jon raised a brow at Dani. "Do I even want to know?"

"Hey," Dani shrugged with a grin. "Bitches be crazy."


	23. Hope Is a Thing With Feathers

**So, so sorry for the delay! Life, man. Hope this chapter makes up for it!**

"Yeah, okay. Bye." Jon growled as he ended his call and tossed his cell down on the hotel bed.

Evie looked up from rolling her shirt. "What's up?"

"Some asshole in my building decided to move out without notice, and his place was just infested with fuckin' roaches. So now the place needs to be fumigated."

"Do we have time to get your perishables out?"

"Don't really have a lot of food like that."

"What about your valuables and memorabilia?" Evie went back to tightly rolling her shirts and jeans so they'd all fit into her bag. "Don't want that just laying around with strangers coming through the place."

"Need to have it cleaned out and all that by Wednesday afternoon. Asshole landlord didn't think to call me when he was giving everyone else written notice."

"Jon, honey, it's gonna be okay." Evie zipped her suitcase and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "We'll get through Raw tonight, pack up what you don't want to leave at your place, and then get you set up until it's time to leave for the live events over the weekend."

"Yeah, okay. Gonna be nice to have a few days off."

Evie nodded. "Joe's going to need it after tonight."

Jon snorted. "I still think it's fuckin' stupid to break up the Shield so soon. We've still got so much more we could do with the group together!"

Having heard the arguments before, Evie nodded along to Jon's reasoning. Paul had explained to them just that morning that Colby would be turning on the others that night on Raw. Joe had volunteered to take a few chair shots to the back – already bruised and hurting from the night before – in order to make the betrayal that much more abhorrent. Jon had been assured time and again that no one would be left to stagnate, though he worried that Joe would be pushed too hard too soon. With Punk leaving and Bryan being injured, the company was facing a dearth of main event talent, and the big Samoan had all the hallmarks of a WWE Champion.

Arriving at the arena, the boys were uncharacteristically quiet. Evie pressed chaste kisses to each of their foreheads and left them to take in the enormity of the situation in which they had found themselves. It felt like something they needed some time alone with.

Jon sighed and leaned back in his folding metal chair. "This fuckin' blows."

"Yeah," Colby agreed. "But it'll set up one hell of a blood feud. There hasn't been one of those in a long time."

Joe grunted and sat to untie his shoes.

"Hey, man," Jon leaned his elbows on his knees. "You know it's goin' to be okay, right?"

"Yeah. Just a little. . . I mean. . ." Joe sighed and slumped in his own chair. "It's always been us against the world."

Colby stood and drew the other man up into a hug. "And it'll still be us. We'll just be working together in a different way."

Jon joined the others, looping his arms around them so they stood in a kind of huddle. "This is the business, man. Stories change all the damn time. Doesn't mean you ain't still my brother."

After leaving the men, Evie collected their gear from wardrobe and mustered small greeting smiles for Dani and Saraya as they passed. Dropping the black vests and pants off in the room for her somber friends and glowering boyfriend, she headed down to catering to collect a light dinner for the three of them while they talked over what needed to happen that night.

"Evie!" Stephanie called her over with a small, sad smile of understanding. "How are they?"

"About as good as could be expected," Evie shrugged. "Still reeling from the surprise of it all."

"Well, there's always room for them to team back up in the future."

Evie nodded, knowing that few things were forever in the WWE universe. "Colby's good with turning heel and going against the others. Joe and Jon will be okay as long as they're allowed to be friends and travel together sometimes."

Steph's smile turned motherly. "You're really good with them."

Evie smiled in return. "Thanks."

"So," Steph pulled a thick manila envelope from her bag. "This is for Jon to read over after he gets home. It's the movie script, so keep an eye on it."

"Oh, cool!" Evie slipped it into her satchel bag. "Jon's really looking forward to trying something new."

Steph grinned. "So, I'm assuming that you'll be in charge of all the travel arrangements and such for only him from now on?"

"Well, I'm certainly not going to travel with anyone else." Evie snorted. "That'd go over like a lead balloon. But I'm fine to help the other two out until you get someone else nailed down for them."

Steph nodded in agreement. "We were once in a storyline with Kurt Angle, and Paul about lost his mind more than once with that whole thing. These men need to be reassured way more than one would think!"

Evie agreed before bidding the older woman goodbye and filling three plates with food for the boys.

O:O:O:O:O:

Joe's back was riddled with welts and bruises, and Evie just knew she wouldn't be able to get the sight of it out of her head for a while.

"You sure you're okay to catch your flight?"

The big man chuckled. "I'm sure. Quit worrying so much."

"It's what I do," Evie shrugged. "Galina is meeting you at the airport, right?"

"She's probably already there to make sure I'm not waiting around for her."

Jon was quiet on the flight back, his fists jammed in his pockets while they were in line and then tapping out a constant rhythm on his thighs as they flew. His mind was running fast and hard, going over every possible outcome of the current storyline and wondering what was in store for him next. Would they pit him against Colby? With Joe against the entire Authority faction? Was he going to be relegated to the midcard while Joe is shoved into the spotlight, a place his friend may not be prepared for?

Evie just managed to get everything he needed from the apartment packed before the apartment manager came to do an inspection. Sending the surly wrestler to the car, Evie was completely unsurprised to find him asleep in the passenger seat by the time she was able to join him. She smiled as she looked over his sleeping form, marveling at how young he looked without the lines that had been present on his brow all day.

"Jon, baby." Evie nudged his shoulder softly, smiling at his snore. "Baby, we'll be at the hotel soon."

"No," Jon frowned and tried to snuggle into the seat more. "Wanna stay with you."

Evie nodded to herself. Jon needed some peace and quiet after the busy European tour followed so closely by the pay per view and Colby's attack. Smiling, she turned left out of the parking lot and began making her way away from the Strip.

The casinos and tall buildings soon faded in her rearview mirror, their world famous lights not yet visible under the hot afternoon sun. She soon left the highway, the smaller road's two lanes much more calm than the regular thoroughfares. Tom Waits sang a tragic lullaby as she tapped out a rhythm on the steering wheel, and Evie let the air conditioner keep them comfortable instead of lowering the windows. Letting Jon sleep, she felt herself relax as the tightly grouped apartments gave way to subdivisions, then dessert, and finally to pines and flowers as the road took them up into the mountains.

"Jon," Evie said 45 minutes later. "Baby, it's time to wake up."

Jon stirred and blinked the sleep from his eyes. "Almost there?"

"Uh huh, just about." Evie turned off the a/c and hit the button to lower her window. The temperature on the mountain was nearly twenty degrees cooler than it had been in the city, and Evie wanted to get acclimated to the weather.

"Wait," Jon frowned as he smelled pine and cedar. He sat up straighter in his seat and looked around at the tall pines. "The hell are we?"

Evie giggled. "You don't remember saying you want to stay with me?"

"No, but I'm glad I did."

"Well, keep an eye out. My house will be the third driveway on the right."

Jon nodded and put his window down so he could lean out and feel the wind whip through his short curls as he watched the trees and driveways pass. A simple wire fence appeared alongside the road, flowers growing through the thick wire and swaying in the breeze. When the car slowed down and stopped in front of a heavy gate, he turned a questioning eye to his girlfriend.

With a shrug, Evie unclipped the key from her keyring and hopped out to unchain and open the gate that reminded her of the ones back home on the farm. Sliding the heavy links free, she looped the chain around the gate and swung it flush with the fence line. Her boots crunched over the thick gravel, and the birds were loud in the surrounding pines. Jon was silent as Evie drove along the lane, the twists and turns leading it away from the road and into the woods.

The cabin was small, it's wide, covered porch obviously newer than the rest of the structure. A chimney took up nearly an entire wall, its stone standing out against the aged wood. The windows were large and dark, though a few window boxes lent splashes of color and made the small dwelling homey and almost cute. The yard was still dug up in places, and there was the framework for a small building sitting back amongst the trees at the edge of the forest.

"Home again, home again," Evie giggled as she stood from the car and watched as Jon slowly took in his new surroundings. "Go on in and get comfy, baby. I'll get your bags."

"Yeah," he smirked. "That's not gonna happen."

Laughing, Evie grabbed their bags and left him to deal with the two boxes they had retrieved from his apartment. Leaving the bags beside the door, she opened all the windows on the bottom floor before leading Jon up the stairs to her spare bedroom. She would go through their luggage and wash laundry later that afternoon and didn't feel like taking heavy bags up the stairs just to turn around and lug the dirty clothes back down. Opening the windows on the top floor, she smiled as Jon showed himself around her small house.

Jon was in love with the cabin. The front door opened into the living room, the large fireplace on the wall to the far right. There was a four person dining table made of heavy wood in the kitchen area, which was separated from the living room by a countertop with stools. Following Evie up the stairs, he smiled at the loft area that had been turned into a library with a cast iron stove.

The two bedrooms were a decent size, with the spare room being mostly bare and Evie's being decorated in a feminine style that suited the blonde perfectly. The ceiling featured exposed beams and the walls were a very pale cream. A simple, warm rug brought a bit of color to the wood floor. A mound of pillows and a cotton patchwork quilt had him wanting to crawl into the big, fluffy bed with his tiny girlfriend and just sleep for days.

"C'mon, Mr. J." Evie smiled at the exhaustion written all over his face. "Let's take a nap."

"What about dinner?" He was already toeing out of his boots.

Evie shrugged. "I've got frozen pizzas and iced tea for tonight, and I'll cook you something good tomorrow?"

Jon nodded and pulled off his shirt while Evie pulled a sleep shirt and a pair of boxers from her drawer. "Fucking perfect, babe."

After changing her clothes, Evie joined Jon in her bed. She loved that he was big enough to make her huge bed feel cozy and warm. Curling into his chest, she gave a little sigh and then reached up to kiss him lightly. When he deepened it into something beyond chaste, Evie wrapped her arms around his neck and sank into the feeling of his strong arms around her waist.

Jon was enjoying the way her small body fit against his as they moved from one kiss to another. Her hands fisted in his hair while his began exploring down her spine and over the swell of her cheeks. She giggled as he squeezed her in either hand and then sighed as he grasped a thigh and brought her knee up over his hip to press against her center.

Jon gave a rumble of satisfaction as he dragged his palm along her smooth skin before grasping her hip and rocking against her firmly. When she moaned into his mouth, he let his hand wander for a few moments, finally groaning when he came into contact with the warm skin of her waist. It was as he skimmed his hand up her side that he felt a small patch of puckered skin. Ignoring it, he let his fingers move on to her ribs.

. . . Where there was another almost perfect circle of ruined skin.

Evie eased away from Jon, hoping he hadn't felt the scars hidden beneath the ink at her side. When he didn't say anything, she tried to put it out of her mind and pressed kisses along his jaw in order to ease any rejection he may feel. When he reached down and pulled the sheet over their heads, she looked up at him in confusion.

Jon shrugged and reached down to push the edge of his shorts down a few inches, determined to put his girlfriend at ease. A round scar, only slightly pink after years of healing, was etched into his hip. Seeing the recognition in Evie's eyes, he slowly reached forward and inched the side of her shirt up so he could see the solar system model decorating her side and hiding the scars there.

"Your father?" Jon knew his voice was shaking with anger, but he tamped it down in order to have the conversation he knew they had to have.

Evie nodded and reached forward to ghost her fingertips over the light patch of skin on Jon's hip. She'd missed it before, always distracted by something else. From the size of the mark and the way it had stretched and faded, she thought it must have been a cigarette burn, to match hers.

"Yours?"

Jon snorted and shook his head. "Saw that fucker about 5 times in my entire life. This was one of my mother's quote/unquote boyfriends."

Evie frowned, a tear trailing down her cheek. "Can I ask?"

"I didn't want to do my homework because wrestling was about to come on. He told me wrestling was fake, kicked me in the stomach, and then held me down and put his cig to my side." Jon shrugged and wiped the tears from Evie's cheek. "Don't cry, Princess. It doesn't hurt anymore."

Evie stared up into Jon's crystal blue eyes, seeing nothing but understanding and affection in return. Coming to a decision, she pushed the covers off and reached behind her to unhook her bra. Slipping it down her arms, she managed a small grin at Jon's confused look and dropped the bit of satin and lace on the floor beside the bed. Turning so that her back faced Jon, she inhaled a shaky breath and then whipped off her sleep shirt.

It took nearly thirty seconds for Jon to understand what he was seeing.

Scars.

So many that he had to lean forward to differentiate between them all.

Long scars crisscrossed Evie's back. Two thin lines stretched from her right armpit to her left shoulder blade, growth and time fading them to a shiny white that were very faint in the bright afternoon sunlight spilling through the open window. Darker pink and red lines made a mess of the skin covering her ribs and spine from below her shoulder blades to the small of her back where the skin had been left to heal without the benefit of stitches, so that the edges appeared ragged and torn years later. Two more stripes started along the edge of her right hip and trailed down to disappear into the waistband below her left hip. Jon slid across the bed to get a better look, wanting to confirm that his eyes really were seeing what he thought.

Evie's whispered chant stopped his breath and the words on his lips. "I'm sorry. Please don't leave me. I'm sorry. Please don't leave me. Pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease."

"You've done nothing wrong, Evie. Not gonna leave you over a few fuckin' scars."

Deciding to let his actions speak for him, Jon wrapped her in his arms and pulled her down on the mattress along with him. He began lightly tracing the marks she had hidden from him for so long, kissing the worst of them. When he felt her trembling with silent sobs, he tightened his arms – one around her waist and the other across her shoulders – caging her against his chest and making calming sounds in her ear.

Evie had been convinced that, once he saw the marks left on her body, he would run as far and as fast as he could. When he drew her down on the bed, she waited for him to recite one of the questions she'd heard over the years. Would she get surgery to fix them? Was there a way to hide them? Why hadn't she done more to prevent them? His touching and kissing the worst part of her body, the most hated thing about herself, made her realize that he saw them as just another part of her for him to love.

The sobs took her by surprise. She hadn't cried over the scars in years. The tenderness he was showing her made her ache in a way she hadn't experienced before and had no concept of how to process the new feeling.

The way Jon's arms wound around her, holding her tight and close, made her feel so secure and wanted. No one could hurt her anymore. There would be no more pain or torment over the scars from her childhood. She was his, and he would keep her safe.

"You were right, Princess." Jon's low voice rasped in her ear. "Your edges and my edges fit together so well."

Evie sniffed and wiped at her eyes. "Thank you."

"Baby, you're the most perfect person I have ever met. I should build a shrine to give thanks to you every day."

Evie gave a watery giggle and let the warmth of Jon's skin seep into her cooler body. "Nah, I don't think that's necessary. Though I _do_ enjoy the flowers now and then."

"I love you, Princess." Jon pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "No one's ever going to touch you like that again. I'll rip them apart with my bare hands first."

Evie shook her head. "I really shouldn't like this caveman attitude as much as I do."

Jon chuckled, enjoying the way her body had begun to warm next to his. "Absolutely, you should. It's one of the things that fit us together. I'm an alpha male who acts out and can't focus for shit.

"You're an alpha female that knows who she is, what she wants, and doesn't take my shit while also knowing how to talk to me so I don't think you're bossing me around all the time. You're _supposed_ to like me being all protective. It's all part of the animal charm."

Evie snorted. "Yeah, I don't think I count as an alpha anything."

"That's because you've been conditioned not to see yourself as strong." Jon shrugged. "Stick with me, and you'll never doubt that again."

A wave of relief swamped Evie. Her heart swelled with love for the man holding her so tightly while it also broke for the young girl who had to suffer through years of pain and torment at the hands of a man who was supposed to love her unconditionally. She was suddenly crying again, the great gulps of air wracking her body and turning her into a shuddering mess. She wrapped her arms over Jon's pulling them in the hopes that he would hold her tighter. Wanting him to hold her together.

Jon cinched his arms around her so strongly that he thought he felt her ribs shift slightly. Letting her get the tears out, he pressed kisses to the side of her head and along her shoulder. In between, he whispered to her of her own strength and of his love for her. When the sobs finally ebbed and she fell into an exhausted sleep, Jon buried his face in her blonde waves and tried to convince himself that he would ever be enough for this startlingly amazing woman.

O:O:O:O:O:

Evie stretched languidly, the setting sun warming her spine as she snuggled into the wide chest under her cheek. A large, warm hand slid over her spine. When she sighed and hummed her pleasure, letting her body move to meet his ministrations, Jon chuckled and began paying more attention to the areas that garnered the best response.

The thin, nearly translucent line that ran along the bottom of her right shoulder blade had her gasping and pressing her forehead into him to give him more space to work with. Jon chuckled lightly and ran his blunt nails along her skin until he was able to lightly run his fingers through her blonde waves. Using the tresses to gently tilt her head back, he leaned up to kiss her sweetly.

"Have a nice nap?"

Evie hummed and kissed him in return. "Uh-huh. You?"

"Best nap ever," Jon chuckled and pulled Evie further up on his chest. "You have a very comfortable bed."

Evie giggled and licked along his lower lip until he groaned and deepened the kiss until Evie was whimpering against his mouth. Jon wrapped his arm around her waist and sank the fingers of his left hand into her hair, rolling until she was pinned under his weight. He slid his tongue over her neck until he came to the junction of her shoulder, nibbling and sucking until the spot became red. Satisfied that he had marked her as his, Jon ghosted his knuckles along her side before palming her right breast, testing its weight and thumbing her nipple until it was a tight bud begging for his mouth.

The unfamiliar sensation of Jon's warm, wet mouth had Evie bowing off the bed with a gasping moan. She wrapped a knee over his hip as her head tipped back dramatically. Sinking her nails into his shoulders, she groaned his name as he licked and sucked at her breasts. Wanting to hear that sound again, Jon repeated his actions until she was gasping and undulating against his hard length again and again.

Bracing himself above her, Jon kissed her deeply as he skimmed his hand to rest just under the edge of her sleep shorts. "Princess, can I get these off?"

Nodding, Evie raised her hips and sighed as Jon slipped the cotton down her thighs and off her feet. He caught her ankle in a firm grip, bringing her foot up to lick at her calf before nibbling behind her knee. He switched to her other leg before kissing along her hip and running his tongue from her navel to her throat in one long, uninterrupted line. Brushing her hair back, he watched her eyes as he gently caressed her weeping core.

"Oh!" Evie bowed again, her back leaving the bed completely. "Jon!"

His chuckle was full of pride and happiness as he continued to stroke her. She was whimpering and gasping in release when he slowly slid a single finger inside to test her readiness.

 _Holy shit!_

She was dripping with excitement, so ready and open that Jon nearly wept in relief. Going on instinct, he kept contact with her while fishing his pants off the floor and sliding the condom from his wallet. Having replaced it every month, he knew it would still be good. Sliding the latex over his hard length, he petted her damp hair away from her sweaty forehead.

"You okay, baby?"

Evie nodded, ghosting her lips over his stubbly chin. "I'm good."

Needing to know that this was okay, Jon rubbed his hard length against her opening. "I want to be inside you so fucking bad, Evie."

Evie groaned, angling her own hips so that he bumped down to where they wanted him to be. "Yes."

Kissing her deeply, he slowly pushed his way inside.

Evie could barely focus, her body still reacting to the afterglow of her orgasm, when Jon kissed her with such sweetness and began to enter her. The pressure was something she hadn't been ready for, but there was none of the pain she had been expecting. Instead, a delicious fullness and a feeling of completeness consumed her.

Jon gasped and groaned at the tight heat that surrounded him, fighting against every instinct he possessed. His body wanted to surge out of his control, thrusting and forcing, taking without giving back. He struggled to control his breathing, focusing on that and the soft skin of Evie's neck and shoulder as he shivered in arousal.

"You okay, princess?"

Evie, loving the fullness and the connection of having Jon surrounding her with his arms and considerable weight, nodded. "So good."

Jon chuckled and pushed more hair out of her face before latching onto the sensitive spot behind her ear. "I'm gonna move now, Sweetheart."

Evie didn't have a chance to nod before he pulled out and sank back in. "Jesus, fuck!"

Jon would have laughed if he weren't so busy trying to remain in control. He curled himself to kiss and lick at her breasts as he slid in and out of her, loving the hell out of the gasps and mewling whines she made in the back of her throat in response to what he was doing. When his control slipped and he thrust into her firmly, her head tipped back on her pillow and she groaned.

"Sorry," Jon gasped. "I'm trying to go slow here."

"No!" Evie shook her head and pinned him with green eyes full of lust and pleasure. "Oh, God! Don't stop!"

Going up onto his hands, Jon looked down the line of Evie's body, watching as she wrapped her impossibly long legs around his waist and writhed against him. Her movements impaled her on his length again and again until he fell back onto her torso.

The feeling of her chest pressed to his and the sound of his name on her lips sent him careening toward the edge of bliss. Determined to bring Evie to release before he found his own, Jon began thumbing the hard bundle of nerves just above her opening. Her shout of ecstasy and the way her body clinched around his hard length left Jon unable to hold out any longer and he followed her into fulfillment.


End file.
